


Making my Naive Master Love only me

by jolliapplegirl



Series: Incompetent Systems [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Ancient China, Ancient China AU, BL, Chinese Mythology & Folklore, Fantasy, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Possessive Behavior, Slow Burn, Teacher-Student Relationship, Transmigration, Transported to another world, Wuxia, Yaoi, cultivation, dense MC, transmigrate
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-16
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2019-07-12 22:47:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 79,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16004876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jolliapplegirl/pseuds/jolliapplegirl
Summary: Liang Fei is an avid reader, hardworking man and a loyal brother.So why is he forced to play the role of a villain in a novel he never even read!? After being killed and transmigrated into his younger sisters favorite novel, Liang Fei finds himself in the tough situation of surviving in a novel he's never read and a genre he's unfamiliar with. Even the protagonist is unknown to him.But if he's the villain, the best way to save his life is to be the best master and why not start with his adorable student, Liu Xieren.Xieren: I don't want to share Shizun with anyone else. Be only my Shizun, okay?Liang: That might be hard... But I think I can do it.Xieren: [Takes his hand] So you'll be only mine?Liang: [Blinks innocently] I suppose that's one way to put it.Note: Will probably feature smut... probably.





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Usually, I don't bother with these kind of things since they seem pointless but this is just for clarities sake.
> 
> I really wanted to write some BL transmigration stories like Scum villain and saving a villain but with my own twist on things. It won't be much but they will be there. Still, so folks don't rip me a new one over some possible mistakes, I'll make clear a few things.
> 
> 1: I am attempting to mimic the styling of writing found in Chinese novels so if you notice me misusing a idiom or switching back to a western (I think that's how its defined) style of writing, note that I'm American.
> 
> 2: I've only recently gotten into the cultivation genre so my knowledge on the subject is minimal. As such, I might just choose to skim over those parts rather than pretend to know what I'm talking about.
> 
> 3: Updates might be inconsistent due to my other stories (hint hint) but I will try to update regularly.
> 
> 4: Most of the names I got off a generator so... yeah
> 
> 5: This story is fictitious and... all the copyright jazz. I made the story up and if it happens to be similar to others, that was not my intention.

Liang Fei was sitting at his desk, reading to himself. It was quiet and calm, so Liang Fei let himself relax. Just as the stress of his day had flowed from him, he heard it. A sound that could raise the dead and bring tears to the eyes of the king of hell himself.

Liang Mei.

His younger sister was a monster at night. She was all smiles and happiness during the day, being a filial daughter and hardworking at her job. But at home, she was a full on menace, letting her emotions out as if she'd been holding it in all day. And the thing that brought this out was her stupid novels.

Liang Fei had no clue why she was so into those. Why read fiction when reality is much more exciting? What was worse was that they clearly frustrated her, since she would always burst into his room, screaming about how 'xiao so-and-so' had betrayed some other character or how much face this other character must have to dare try and steal the main characters 'little sister' or something. Honestly, he didn't understand her most of the time. It was like they were speaking a different language.

Her latest obsession was {Eyes of Vengeance} or something like that. He wasn't sure why she liked it, since she complained so much about at him but she kept reading it. Whatever drew her in kept her attention until she finished, then rinse and repeat.

He heard her rage-filled cry just as her door slammed open. He let out a breath, preparing himself for her ranting as she burst into his room. He spun his chair around, resting his chin on his fist as she closed in on him. What would it be this time?

"Brother, why are you so cruel to Xiao-Ren!?" She sobbed, collapsing at his feet and beating at his legs listlessly. "How cruel are you, tormenting the protagonist this way~!!"

Liang Fei sighed, not sure how to respond to her. She had recently starting doing this whenever the antagonist of the story did anything. He apparently was some lecherous and devious man who tormented the protagonist for... reasons, he guessed. Really, Liang Fei learned to drown out his sisters rants when she got like this.

And the reason she always came to him, at least recently, was the fact that he and the villain shared the same name. Unconsciously, Liang Fei clicked his teeth in annoyance. Damn that author, dragging his good name into his dumb story. Now he had to deal with his little sister venting on him.

"Brother Liang!!" Liang Mei screamed, drawing him back to reality. her face was red with rage but she seemed to have vented all her frustration already. Hooray for small graces. "Were you even listening?"

"No" He replied, his expression stoic. Liang Mei pouted, her cheek puffing up with indignation and Liang Fei had to stop himself from pinching her cute cheeks. "Now that you're done nagging me, can you leave? I have things to do." He stated, spinning back to his book. The words were densely packed and informative but he had a lot to go over.

"Whatcha reading?" He heard Liang Mei ask, leaning on his shoulders to peek. Liang Fei scowled, annoyed by his sisters childish behavior. "Bet's it not as interesting as my stuff."

"But more worthwhile." He countered, pushing her away. "I have to study, so go away."

"Are you coming with us to dinner?" She asked, remaining where she was. Figures she wouldn't listen. "Brother Xue got accepted into K University and we're going out to celebrate. You should come with us. It'll be fun!"

Yang Xue Tian, or brother Xue, was his best friend. Due to their fathers being close, the two grew very close and were practically brothers. Despite being the same age, Xue Tian managed to get so much further in life than Liang Fei despite working half as hard. While Liang Fei had to study for 6 days straight to get second place, Xue Tian who spent the week clubbing, got first. Girls and boys alike flocked to his side, ignoring Liang Fei who stood beside him. To make matters worse, he'd managed to get into the university he'd been trying for.

To say that he was envious of Xue Tian would be an understatement. As such, his response came out bitter.

"Can't. Still busy." Liang Mei let out a tired groan of frustration.

"You're always busy!" She complained, tugging at his shirt sleeve. "Bro, you need to learn to relax and have some fun. Working all the time isn't going to make your life any better. Just take a break. Please?"

Liang Fei thought about it. He could use a break, he supposed. He was very tired from studying and was starving. Plus refusing to go out with his family on such a happy occasion was beyond rude. Despite his envy, he did feel somewhat happy about Xue Tian's success.

"...Fine." He replied, drowning out Liang Mei's cheer. "But at least let me finish my work. Knowing him, Xue Tian will try and drink us all under the table."

"That's what makes him the best bro ever!" Liang Mei chirped, flouncing out the door. "That and he's super hot." She gushed, giving her brother a look that screamed 'why can't you be as cool?!' Liang Fei deftly ignored such a look.

"If you say so." He muttered. He knew he wasn't much to look at compared to his friend. He had admirers but they very quickly lost interest in him after talking to him for a few minutes. He (LF) didn't getting it but apparently his way of talking was... bad.

"Don't lie!" Liang Mei cried, regaining her brother's attention. "If he was into nerdy guys like you, you'd try and eat him up or something."

"Assuming he'd be my type?" He retorted, kind of annoyed that his sister hadn't left yet. She rarely spoke to him this long. Usually she was in and out as soon as she left loose all her grievances. Why was she still here? Moreover, why would Xue Tian ever be into guys? He was a notorious playboy.

"Hah? So you are bent like that!?" She cried, shock evident in her tone. "I knew it!"

"E-eh? I'm not-" He tried to speak but was stopped by the fan girls rapid fire statements.

"This explains why Xiao Ren is being harassed so much by you!" She concluded, glowering at her brother as if he'd done something. "You'd better leave my Ren'er alone!" Liang Fei just let her rant, figuring there was no need for his input. She'd wear herself down. How she kept mixing up her fictional villain/rival with her own brother was a mystery he didn't feel like tackling.

To make his time easier, he put his earphones in and drowned out her rants with his soothing and calming tunes.

Heavy Metal.

Liang Fei knew most wouldn't see him as the type to like metal or to see it was calming but it was the best. It let him feel all the passionate emotions his otherwise frozen face was unable to show. It let him be lulled into peace.

As such, he failed to hear when his sister left his room in a huff.

He failed to hear her leave to meet up with their parents.

He failed to hear the smoke alarm briefly left out a whine to warn of a gas leak.

He failed to note how strangely tired he felt and let his consciousness and his life drift away.

He barely noticed he had died as quietly as he'd lived.


	2. Meeting a System

Liang Fei woke up... confused.

Where am I? He thought, looking around. There was nothing but mist and grey as far as the eye can see. His body felt light and no really there.

(AN: Have I just given up my attempt at mimicking? Meh, you guys decide.)

He tried to remember how he'd gotten there but his last memory was just feeling really tired for some reason and falling asleep. Was he dead? He must be but how did he die? He mentally listed out the ways one could die in a house that would cause him to fall asleep. There were quite a few. He then thought of that loud beep he could have sworn he heard some time before he felt drowsy.

"Carbon monoxide poisoning." He muttered, less upset than he should be. He wasn't happy about being dead but it's already happened so what was the point of panicking? There were worse ways to go. At the very least, it was painless.

(AN: Fei is a bit of a pragmatist, as you can see.)

Setting that aside, he now wanted to know where he was. After looking around for a bit, he saw something coming toward him. What it was, Liang Fei had no clue. I looked like a ball of silver fluff but shiny. When it got close enough, it spoke, shocking him.

[Howdy! How are ya doing, host?] It asked, its tone upbeat and whimsical. Well, it would be if it didn't sound so forced. It reminded him of those falsely cheery cashiers he saw in stores.

"Fine... I guess." He answered, not sure what to make of this situation. "Who are you?"

[Me? Personally, it doesn't matter but you can call me 'System Q', if ya want.] Liang Fei frowned, feeling more lost than before.

"System? What's that?" His question was met with silence.

[...Host doesn't know?] It asked, seemingly taken aback at his question. Was it expecting him to know? [Well, if host must know, systems kind of run a business of choosing hosts to inhabit in order to perform tasks. That's what this system offering you.]

"And why should I accept this?" He asked, cocking a brow though something said he should go along with this. It felt like this was the best bet for him. Still, something felt off. The little fluff ball huffed

[You want to stick around here? Fine, host can do that but you'll soon fade away into nothing.] It stated, circling around the young man. [Host's best bet is to form a contract with this system. Doesn't' host want to go into their favorite fantasy novel?!] It pressed, convinced the host would say yes. Every other host did when given the chance to go into a fantasy world.

Except this one.

"I don't read fantasy novels." He replied, frowning in confusion. System Q stopped, tension radiated off the little ball of fluff as silence fell.

[Pardon?] It asked, it's tone a lot less friendly than before. It reminded Liang Fei of the tone his boss used just before he started scolding a co-worker to tears.

"I don't read fantasy novels." He repeated, staring at System Q as his words sunk in. For a moment, there was only silence as the two stared at one another. Liang Fei frowned when he briefly heard the rustling of papers being shuffled coming from System Q just before it spoke again.

[Your name, its Liang Mei, right?] It asked calmly, watching the young man frown in confusion.

"No, thats my sister" He replied. "I'm Liang Fei."

[Your mother-] System Q then proceeded to curse up a storm for a full two minutes straight. Now Liang Fei was used to hanging around Xue Tian, well known for his foul mouth but the things this cute little ball of fluff let loose made him want to shield his ears lest his ancestors keel over in shock.

(AN: Shield your ears, Fei Fei! You're too innocent)

[Fucking interns, can't do anything right!] System Q muttered to itself, seeming to have let loose most of its frustration. All the while, Liang Fei tried to piece together what was going on. All he got was the System Q's original target was his sister but why?

"What did you want with my sister?" He asked, his eyes darkening as thoughts streamed through his mind.

[Her? The intention was to have her get killed and use her to complete tasks, like I said before.] It replied with a huff, though the way it spoke, Liang Fei could imagine some annoyed desk worker slouching on the desk with a cigarette in hand.

"You... planned to kill my sister?!" He roared, reaching out to grab the ball. He missed, falling to the ground as the ball casually floated out of reach.

[Relax, siscon, it wasn't going to be permanent. I just needed her to complete some tasks and then she'd be sent home.] It exasperatedly explained. [Honestly, this is what I get for sending some glorified coffee maker to do a simple job. Live and learn, I guess. But it doesn't change much, I still need you to make a contract with me.]

Liang Fei let out a few breaths, letting himself calm down just a bit before looking up at the fluff ball. "My previous question still stands. Why should I?"

[Look, kid, I admit this is a mistake on our part but there's no need to be so petty about.] It stated,as if this mistake didn't cost him his life or imply that his sister's life had been in danger. He thought about what would have happened had he left first. Would Mei have been the one to suffer from the gas leak? He might be fine with dying after the fact but the notion of his family being in danger...

"You killed me. A completely unrelated person." He replied coldly, his anger fading somewhat as he pushed aside 'what ifs'. They wouldn't help him now.

[Hey, it isn't my fault! All you humans look the same to us.] It stated, moving in a way that made him think it was shrugging. [How was anyone supposed to know who was who?] Liang Fei was tempted to point out just how different they were but figured it was a waste of time anyway.

[More importantly, if you don't want to fade away, you'll form a contract with me.]

"Can't you just send me home? Like you planned with my sister?"

[Nope, we would need to have racked up some points and we can't do that until you complete some tasks. When you get enough points, I can revive you and send you on your merry way.]

"...So in other words, you made a mistake and rather than fix it you plan to have me work to fix your mistake?"

[Oi, I'm trying to help you out, you ungrateful little-.] It snapped, clearly annoyed that things hadn't gone it's way. [But fine, you want being a whiny little bitch about this? Congrats, you get our limited time offer 'F*ck you' package. You get reborn into life without a system and without a synopsis."

"What?! That's not fair!" He argued, seeing things were going downhill fast.

[Tough shit, smart ass.] System Q sneered, happy to have gotten a more interesting reaction than before. [You want to be difficult? Then here's second life on hard mode. Your task is to survive in a unknown world with no knowledge of the plot or characters. But, since I'm nice, I'll give you a freebie.]

"Freebie?"

[Yep, there will be no penalties for being OOC (Out of character) since you're going in blind.] It stated, the smugness thick enough to be cut. [That's just me being the bigger System.]

"A truly bigger system would just give me the information I need." He retorted, his expression blank but his tone slightly miffed. System Q trembled with sadistic joy.

[I could indeed do that.] It replied, letting the silence fall between them once more. Liang Fei opened his mouth to complain but had no chance to as light filled his vision. [See ya later, villain. If you live that long...]

                                                                                                 ****

Liang Fei didn't wake up.

He just... became aware of his new surroundings. One second, he was floating the mist with that horrible System Q thing and the next he was staring up at a tree. Blinking, he sat up only for his head to burst into rush of pain.

Groaning, he tried to get a feel for what was happening. For one thing, his body felt different. His hair, that used to be short and neat, fell onto his face. After a few tries, he managed to push the offending tuff away from his eyes. His long hair fell smoothly down his shoulders, getting in the way of everything.

Annoyed, he took a ribbon from his sleeve and used it to tie his hair back. Satisfied, he continued his observation. He was dressed traditional purple robes, though it was very flashy and gross. Colors that should never be seen with the color purple decorated the fabric, making Liang Fei grimace.

"Who in the world would wear so much color?" He muttered, disgusted by clashing style. He might not care about his looks, but even he knew what color went with what.

Just as he contemplated removing the robes, a notification sound rung. Years of habit had Liang Fei reach into his pocket for his cell only to note he had neither a cell phone nor a pocket. Still, the notification bell kept ringing.

Confused, he blinked only to find a email icon floating before his eyes. Turning his head and rocking didn't effect it.

On the outside, it read: Freebie, from System Q

"Mn." He sighed, still annoyed but chose to blink the letter open. This took quite a few tries, leaving him staring blanking into space and blinking at the invisible to anyone else icon. He was thankful that he was alone or else he'd be seen as a crazy person.

The email opened after a dozen tries and only contained a pdf named 'Original: Liang Fei.' My name? He thought briefly before nodding. He must be the novel his sister likes, he concluded after piecing everything together.

With nothing else to do, Liang Fei chose to look over this... file. As he skimmed over the info, he noted several things.

The body he inhabited was apparently over 100 years old. He wasn't sure how that was possible since he didn't feel any wrinkles on his skin. Even without looking in a reflection, Liang Fei knew he was a young man. The energy and lightness of his movement screamed youth. Still, that was a question for another time.

Other things of note, the file seemed to tell the life story of this body. He was the only child of a fairly well off clan of cultivators. Centuries of history and techniques at his fingertips. His parents gave him everything he'd need to become a great cultivator. The only thing of interest was the fact that he seemed to have a deep hatred for demons, which apparently exist in this world. From the little Q included, his grandparent were killed during a raid when he was young, leaving him the sole survivor. Little details were given, presumably due to how young this body was at the time and the lack of witnesses. After that, he took his role as heir quite seriously, giving his all to become great. His family supported him, showering him with everything one could need to become great.

Liang Fei could feel the pressure from here.

The original did his best, becoming a well known cultivator in the Ruogang Sect, though he seemed to hit a bottleneck some time ago since his rank hadn't improved in years. Still his family name and past accomplishments made sure he had a place in the sect despite his lack of improvement. Years went on though his rank never rose even a little bit despite all his meditation.

Then he died.

Honestly, Liang Fei wasn't expecting the paragraph to end with such a... blunt statement but there it was. Apparently, the original died after falling out a tree and breaking his neck. It occurred to him that someone who lived to see more than a hundred years who was apparently a warrior probably should have died with a bit more grace or at least some dignity. Any worse and he'd have died of choking on a dumpling.

Despite the fact that the original died in the previous sentence, the bio continued on, presumably telling the rest of the story. Unfortunately, the next six paragraphs were a sea of black bars.

 _So this is what that system thing meant by sending me in blind._ He thought with a scowl.

Liang Fei scrolled through the lines of redacted information, scowling he noted that when viewed far enough away, he could swear the bars formed a giant middle finger. Whether this was the case or not, he chose to ignore it. He had to find some information in this bio.

What he did find was not what he'd hoped. System Q, who probably wrote this, decided to let the only plot relevant information presented to him be the way the original is destined to die. In a surprising and disturbingly detailed fashion no less, including pictures and how long he'd suffered before the sweet mercy of death took him.

"I'm pretty sure bones don't... do that." He muttered, briefly wondering how a man could lose that much blood and still live. The next sentence happily (with smile emoji's) assured him that with the use of a pill to replenish blood, his death could and does go on for days. "Delightful."

He then wondered what this guy could have done to be this hated by someone. From what he could remember about his sister's rants, the original was a perv and a devious person but was that enough to warrant such a dramatic and cruel death? Whatever System Q had kept from him, must have have been bad.

Still, whatever the man had done, apparently hadn't been done yet. No matter how he might feel about the situation, he must figure out how to survive in this world since the one who'd die would be him.

"How annoying." He grumbled, sitting up against the tree that apparently killed him. Looking around, he blinked the notification away and took in the scenery. Calm, quiet and still. The trees were sparse, letting just enough light shine through the canopy to create a tranquil mood.

Then it was killed.

"Tell the truth, you filthy rat!" Someone shouted, drawing Liang Fei's attention.

                                                                            ____________________

AN: It just occurred to me that I can make authors notes. I've never done so, so this is new. Yay!

Please let me know what you guys think of my story.


	3. Meeting the Protagonist

Liang Fei frowned, curious about the noise. He had wanted to get his bearings before interacting with anyone in this world but turns out that won’t be happening. He sighed, standing up. He felt a bit dizzy, probably a side effect of dying before hand but he ignored it, moving with a grace he’d never had as a normal man. Despite not knowing much about the world, ‘his’ body remembered how the move.

As he moved closer to the noise, he noted that he was in on some property though much bigger than anything he’d ever seen before. The few walls he saw seemingly went on forever, becoming a mere dot in the distance. It was by one of theses walls that he spotted the source of the noise.

He spotted a group of child- no, young men surrounding another youth. It was hard to tell but those were clearly teens. One of the youths had pinned another against the wall, shouting at him.

“Just admit it, you waste!” One demanded, looking close to violence. “Lin'er said she saw you near her room so give it back!”

“B-but I never went near-” A soft sweet voice tried to speak but was interrupted by a loud slap as the youth struck. Feeling annoyed, Liang Fei revealed himself, speaking clearly and with strength.

“What do you boys think you’re doing?!” He demanded, surprised by the  sound of his new voice. It was definitely different from his old one. It was like music, bringing a lightness to one's heart. He stored this away for later study, instead focusing on the youths before him.

All of them wore the same clothes, which meant they had to be connected somehow. He just wasn’t sure how yet. Still, since he was older (he assumed) he must take disciplinary actions or else they may go down the wrong path.

“Are you bullying your fellow companion? How dishonorable.” He chastised, his monotone taking on a slight tinge of disgust. “If you have something to say, don’t use cowardly methods and corner your opponent. Worse yet you outnumber him.”

“E-Elder Shao!?” One cried, looking panicked before calming down a little. Liang Fei had no clue why he did so but chose to stay quiet to see how they’d plead.

“Elder Shao, please forgive us disciples.” Another said as all four of the bullies bowed respectfully toward him. “We humble disciples did not mean to bring shame upon you and are honored to have you as an elder. Please forgive us.”

“What was going on before I stepped in?” He asked, still a bit pissed at the shameless attempt at flattery. Even more so, he was curious as to what was going on.

“As you wish, Elder Shao.” The one from before spoke again, apparently the leader of the group. “Our fellow disciple, Linyi, had suffered from a burglary last night and swear she saw someone from our section. After asking around, this waste,” He glared at the youth behind him. “Was found to have been in the area at the time of the incident. Embarrassed and not wishing to cause a fuss, she chose not to pursue it. That’s why we chose to take on the task of investigating ourselves. We confronted him about it and demanded he return her property but he continues to shamelessly deny that he did any such act.” He explained, looking proud of himself. Liang Fei cocked a brow at their explanation. He had many questions.

How’d they learn of this incident if this girl chose not to pursue it? Was just one of many.

Liang Fei looked over each of them, taking note of each of their faces. They looked very sincere but who could tell with young people. He also noticed they all had long hair like him. _It must be a thing here._ He concluded, wanting to roll his eyes. As he committed them to memory, he spotted the bullied party leaning against the wall.

The youth in the center was the one who caught his attention. Smooth and clear skin as pure as jade and blue-black hair that covered the right side of his face. Large watery eyes gazed up at him from beneath his long bangs, pleading for something as he shivered. His robes were much the same as the others except considerably more dirty and slightly torn. A single thought ran through Liang Fei’s mind.

So cute!!!!!

Liang Fei, despite his stone face and near monotone, adored cute things. Circumstance made it hard for him to indulge in his passion for cute things but within his heart, he’d shower any cute item or person with heaps of praise. On the outside, his gaze would intensify to the point where most assumed he was glaring at them. This was his way of burning the memory into his heart for later admiration.

Not realizing he was doing this at that moment, the disciples flinched at the sudden glare of their elder, wondering what they’d done wrong to earn his ire. Only one of them thought otherwise.

 _Why does he looked so pleased?_ Xieren wondered, frowning as Liang Fei gaze intensified. Seeing the other disciples shiver with fear, he chose to stay silent.

“And you?” Clear and melodious, Liang Fei spoke, surprising himself at his voice. It was nothing like his old voice, dull and listless as he was often described as. It sounded so different before when he was upset at the bullies but now? This voice was like music to even his ears. This magic was also noted by the disciples before him, who shivered in delight at the sound of his voice.

“Elder Shao, there is no need to waste your breath on this trash. We can-”

“I did not address you.” He clarified, choosing to ignore the rudeness of his statement. He could have pursued it but he wanted to know the truth more than anything. “I wish to hear from you.” He stated, pointing to Xieren, who flinched as he was subject to glares from from his bullies. Still, he was confused. What did Shizun want from him?

“M-me?” He stammered, looking up at his master from beneath his bangs. He hadn’t spoken to Shizun in months. Why was he…

“Did I stutter? I want to hear what happened from your mouth.” He explained. “Now speak.” Xieren frown at the phrase. He understood the words and its meaning but it didn’t sound right…

“I-I was in the area but it wasn’t to steal anything.” He insisted, lifting himself off the ground. He was slightly shorter than the other boys. “I probably passed by and was spotted by that girl, though I doubt it since it would be strange for a girl to be out that late. Perhaps it was someone else who spotted me and needed a scapegoat” He said brazenly, giving a hard look toward his bullies, who immediately picked up his implication.

“You dare imply we were the ones lurking about?!” The leader growled, stepping forward to do something. Whatever he would have done was stopped by Liang Fei, who stepped between them. Everyone were shocked by his actions, including Liang Fei himself. He didn’t know he could move like that.

Muscle memory is an amazing thing. He thought with amusement.

The leader frown at his Elder master, wondering why he was giving such preference toward this waste. Usually, he just turned a blind eye to their taunting and harassment of this waste and yet here he was. Was the man sick?

Xieren felt the same. Since he’d been accepted into the sect, Shizun had ignored him and treated him like air. They never spoke before this, the most being him greeting his master when necessary. Xieren was fine with this. He very much wished just to focus on increasing his strength and prove himself to everyone, including Elder Shao Liang Fei.

While everyone was dazed by Liang Fei’s action, the person himself took the opportunity to check on Xieren. While he’d protected him this time, he knew the youth had been struck before.

 _Moreover, I want to see how cute he is up close._ He thought, clutching his passionate cute loving heart with his mind. Grabbing his chin, Liang Fei lifted Xieren’s face until they were eye to eye. He(LF) had to bend over a bit to get a better look at the youth and marveled at the sight.

His eyes were gold, though his hair covered the right side of his face. Looking him over, he saw that his left cheek was still pale and clear. Carefully, he reached out to push Xieren’s hair away from his face to see if he was injured there.

Liang’s Fei’s hand had just brushed the youths bottom lip when awareness returned to said boy. Panic filled his heart at his master’s actions and instinct took over.

“DON’T TOUCH ME!!” He snarled, slapping Liang Fei’s hand away, quickly using his own hand to keep his hair in place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> xiao and 'er are -fixes placed before and after a persons name as a term of endearment. Xiao, as far as I understand, means 'little' so it translates to 'little ____'. The suffix 'er is the same but usually used, I've noticed, with family members. The use of these is to show how close one is to another person, like a petname.


	4. Rejected by the Protagonist

Silence fell upon the group. The young disciples were aghast that Xieren would dare strike his master, especially considering he was being so nice. They all wanted to speak out and defend their elder from such ungratefulness.

Xieren, on the other hand, almost immediately regretted his actions. While his fear was justified in his heart, Shao Liang Fei was not an understanding man. Nor was he kind. He didn’t know why his shizun was acting the way he was but he knew for a fact it wasn’t out of kindness. Still, he’d rather not have to face the consequences of his actions. Shizun was too willing to make him truly regret it. 

With a unsteady heart, Xieren looked up, wanting to see how Shizun would react. He was shocked to see that his face had yet to change. His expression as still as calm waters but just behind those eyes, he saw amusement. Indignation burst forth in his heart. 

_ What the hell was he so amused by?! _

Liang Fei was in his only world just then. When his hand was slapped away, he was just as shocked as others, thinking he might have pushed too far. He was still new to this world and wasn’t sure of the relationships between everyone yet.

Inwardly, he sighed, thinking that it might have been better to listen to his sister’s rants at least once. Perhaps then, he’d know better than to randomly touch people. In fact, if she knew he’d gone and done this, she’d rant and rave about how right she was to accuse him of being ‘like that’. Just cause he thought a young man was cute wasn’t cause to accuse a man of being into them!

Thinking of the sly and devious ways Liang Mei would win arguments in her own mind nearly brought smile to his face. Despite his amusement, his face remained static, barely a ripple other than his eyes. He was brought out of his stupor when the other disciples voices rang out.

“Ungrateful brat, how dare you glare at Elder Shao!” The leader chastised, his complaint echoed by his minions. Liang Fei rolled his eyes. What? Were they all dogs? Did they all have to echo and howl one after the other? 

“Right! Elder Shao is kind enough to give you a chance to lie to us and yet you dare strike him.” Another spoke, sneering down at him. Xieren said nothing, glaring at the others past Liang Fei. He looked very close to snapping. He(LF) decided something had to be said before hands started flying.

“If I need someone to speak for me, I’ll be sure to let my dear disciples know.” He said, his tone soft but firm. The howling youths went silent, taking a step back. Something about that tone made them want to stay quiet and out of sight.

(AN: Liang Fei just used ‘mom voice’. It was super effective.)

“As for being struck, it’s nothing to get so animated about.” He stated, folding his arms over this chest. “It was barely anything, gusts of wind against a mountain really.” He assured, hoping it would calm them down. Plus, it wasn’t a lie. Xieren’s strike was barely anything against the strength in this body. It was more shock than force that moved him.

Unfortunately, his words had the opposite effect. He had wanted to ease the tension by assuring them that he wasn’t even hurt so there was no need to make a fuss. What had actually happened was him confirming the suspicions of a very paranoid youth.

_ He  _ **_was_ ** _ laughing at me! _

Xieren was still trying to make sense of Shizun’s expression when he heard his words. Shizun’s casual tone and words made him think he was being made fun of. That there was no need to put so much stock into such a weakling. That the amusement he was Shizun laughing at his feeble attempt to strike him. Frustrated at his weakness and the perceived mockery in the eyes of those before him, Xieren slipped away, wanting to get away from these loathsome people.

Liang Fei watched him run, feeling like he somehow had done something wrong. But what did he say that was wrong? 

“Elder Shao?” The youth leader spoke, bowing to Liang Fei. “Elder Shao. We apologize for disturbing you. We shall do our best to remain out of your sight next time.” He said, his sentiments echoed by his chorus of dogs. Cocking a brow, Liang Fei turned his attention to them.

“Right, you did do wrong today.” He said, a bit annoyed. Not even an hour in this body and he’d seemingly made someone hate him, though he had no clue why. “First off, who gave you the right to go an harass your fellow disciple?”

The leader was a bit confused, not expecting Elder Shao to still be chastising him after Xieren had already fled. Still, he couldn’t remain silent.

“I-I… Our shidi was distressed. She was too shy to ask anyone, especially the elders for such a small matter so we-”

“So you chose to take on the task yourself?” He guessed, seeing a lot more of the story unfolding.

“Yes! How could we allow such a disgrace to walk freely in our sect?!” He argued, indignation burning in his eyes. He truly disliked this person, it seemed. “Who else would disregard a females privacy but a filthy street rat?” He concluded, preening with self-righteousness.

Liang Fei was getting tired of that look.

“So how then, did you come to learn about this if she spoke to no one about this?” Liang Fei asked, watching the youth go pale at the question. “Perhaps I should go and ask her myself, since she felt so confident to speak to you rather than an elder? Surely she can shed some light on the situation.”

“N-no! She can’t know about us sne-” Another youth cried, panicking before his words were cut by another elbowing him. The others glared at him, looking close to mauling the youth for revealing them. 

“Was this truly you wanting to seek justice or were you just trying to bully folks out of boredom?” Liang Fei sighed, disappointed by their actions. Honestly, he kind of wished it was more interesting than this. “Moreover, such a weak tactic too. A smarter and more shameless person would have tried to do this in front of others, making just the accusation serve as proof but you chose to do things privately. How frivolous the planner must be, I shudder to think of it.”

The youths frowned, not sure how to handle this. E-Elder Shao, surely you don’t expect us lowly disciples to agree to such things when the  planner was you!

Unbeknownst to Liang Fei, the original was the one to orchestrate the entire interaction, using the young disciples to bully and harass his least favorite student. For reason unknown to anyone, the original despised Xieren and wanted to force him from the sect. But being the ‘upright and just’ man he was, he couldn’t be so blatant. No, he needed lackeys to do the job for him. Hence the use of the howling dogs before him.

Not realizing the tough spot he put the young men in, Liang Fei continued on unimpeded. “Still, I’m glad you didn’t think things through since such accusations can be harmful but stupidity still must be punished.” He stated, folding his hands behind his back, giving him a more dignified air. “All of you are to run 5 laps around the sect. Do so by sundown or no dinner.” This was the kind of punishment he got whenever he got dragged into Yang Xue Tian’s antics and knew it was harsh but how else were these boys to learn?

The boys flinched, mentally mapping out the sect and sweating at the distance needed to lap it. Just one lap was bound to tire them out but 5!? Liang Fei, had he known the size of the sect he currently resided in, might have chosen a smaller number. Unfortunately for the young men, he didn’t.

“F-five laps?! But Elder Shao, we were just-”

“Would you like it to be 10 laps instead?” He interjected, cocking a brow. The youth paled, fearing their Elder teacher more just then. 10 laps!? Why not just strike them down now!?

“Y-yes, Elder Shao!” They all cried, running off for fear he’ll add another 5 to their already herculean task. For the rest of the day, students would be watching the five young men pant and sweat as they jogged around the entire sect. Rumors would fly and fear would flood into their heart at the cruel punishment placed on the group. They would pity the group, offering water to them as they came by.

Poor bastards. They would think, both happy that it wasn’t them and wary of the Elder who gave them such a task on a hot day like this.

 

****

 

Liang Fei was ignorant of the rumors spreading about him and his apparent cruelty. He was too busy trying to find his way around.

The sect was huge and obviously had no signs or maps to show him the way. This lead to him wandering about for almost an hour. A less disciplined person might have went into a rage after passing the same magnolia tree for the nth time but Liang Fei was not like that. Instead, he just chose to sit beneath the tree to relax. It had been a stressful day.

Dying, being punished by a childishly shameless system (Somewhere in the universe, Q is flipping LF off) and dumped into a novel. To say that today has been weird would be an understatement. Still, he had somewhat come to terms with how things are. He might be able to go home, as long as that system thing wasn’t lying. He just had to survive long enough to get back to it.

In the meantime, Liang Fei used this time to get a grip on his original’s memories. Apparently they were just floating around, waiting for his attention like persistent butterflies. From this, he gleamed a bit about the world. He was apparently in the country of Hua, apparently named so due to its abundance of flowers. This was a land of cultivation, where one could ascend to immortality by cultivating ones qi and training in certain ways. There were many ranks, many of which were very confusing to Liang Fei, since he wasn’t into this kind of stuff.  Even worse, it was a jumbled mess of proverbs and studies with no rhyme or reason. The original was probably the type to study sporadically so clear answers was as random and sudden as a game of whack-a-mole.

Moving on from that, the history of the land was a bit fuzzy. There were other countries but there was little to no knowledge about them other than the fact that Hua bordered something called the Dark Lands. There was little he could gleam from the memories but he at least learned that the flowers known to bloom at the border supposedly keeps miasma from the wasteland from seeping out. Other than this, there was no information on the world outside Hua. Liang Fei, not satisfied with his answers, huffed with bemusement.

It turned out the original was very much a chicken aware of the hen house but not the farm.

(AN: Look at me, making up idioms~) 

Sighing, he continued to look through the memories, wanting to get a better feel for his surroundings. Not knowing anyone was bound to raise some flags, even with that damn system’s ‘freebie’.  As he walked he tried to memorize a few important names and match them to faces. His original really was stingy. All of the names memorized were those above him while those below were designated as ‘you’ or ‘that one guy who passed me a drink that one time’. Truly shameless for one who couldn’t raise his own rank to look down on others so readily.

“E-Elder Shao?”

Opening his eyes, he saw a beautiful young girl staring at him. Smooth black hair fell gracefully down her shoulders, making one itch to reach out and touch it. The urge wasn’t in Liang Fei however, because she stared at him with a wariness that told him he should keep his distance.

Seriously, what kind of man was the original to warrant such reactions?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN:  
> Shidi: I think its a term used toward younger or lower ranked disciples. It's used by other disciples and masters alike so I think it's just a term for low rank disciples.  
> Hua: Chinese for flowers


	5. Winging It

The two stared at one another for a while, nothing being said as the wind blew between them. Liang Fei wanted to speak first, since it was rude not to but he also wanted to hear what the girl had to say. From her expression, she seemed like the type to run if he said anything.

Thus they were stuck staring at each other.

Xinyi flinched when she saw Master Liang Fei turn his cold eyes toward her. Looking away, she struggled to get the words she needed to say out before he punished her for bothering him. She had never been on the receiving end of any of his ‘punishments’ but had heard of them. Just today he tasked some disciples to run laps around the sect grounds. The distance from one end to another was enough to tire out even the most fit but to circle the sect? That was near suicide. Who knows why he did it but it still made the young girl nervous.

Unconsciously, her hand went to her waist, palming a sachet tied there. Squeezing it released a quick and sudden burst of fragrance meant to calm ones heart. Taking it in, she relaxed and turned to look up once more, only to find Liang Fei staring down at her.

Surprised by his sudden and unheard approach, Xinyi tried to back away, only to trip on her uniform and fall. She hit the ground and tried to move away, her eyes briefly looking around to see if anyone else was nearby.

To say she was scared would be an understatement. While Master Liang Fei was a distinguished and upright man, even he was subject to rumors and hearsay. Said things whispered about were not, in any way, good. It was why Xinyi was so reluctant to take on this task. Had she not been nearby when Master Jinyi needed someone fetch Master Liang Fei, she would be back in her room, studying by herself.

Closing her eyes, she waited for his next move, sure that he would either chastise her for bothering him or punish her for it. Either way, what could she, a small alchemist do against him, a well known Cultivator?

As Xinyi imagined her own death a dozen times, Liang Fei stared down at her with a frown. When she’d fallen, he’d failed to catch her, the action of helping someone about to fall apparently not being one of his new muscle memory things. This said a lot about the original. Afterward, he’d offered her a hand, still not speaking since she seemed really nervous for some reason.

Seeing her shiver with her eyes closed, Liang Fei felt bad. Not just because he seemed to have scared her despite not meaning to but because he still found her to be cute even then. She was like a small animal, too scared to move and too scared to run. Scolding himself for such selfish thoughts, he decided to ease the tension.

“Laying down like that, one might think you are welcome mat and walk all over you.” He stated, trying to get a smile out of her. To him, the statement was funny, making his eyes glow with amusement even as his face remained still and calm. To her, her mind stopped, trying to understand his words.

Welcome mat?

Looking up, Xinyi finally noticed Liang Fei’s extended hand. Her eyes darted between the hand and his face, trying to see if there was anything more to this. Not seeing anything, she took his hand warily, letting herself be lifted off the ground.

“You’re not hurt, are you?” Liang Fei asked, wanting to see if she was okay. He figured she should be, since the fall wasn’t that serious but the girl seemed very delicate and small. Who knew what could hurt her?

“Your concern greatly comforts this disciple, Master Shao.” She replied, finally bowing after all this time. Anyone else would have chewed her out for forgetting but Liang Fei, not knowing it was a thing, let it pass. “Xinyi apologizes for bothering Master Shao.”

“As long as you aren’t, it’s fine.” He assured, nodding in understanding. “Did you come here for something?” He asked, assuming she wouldn't still be here if she didn't need something.

“Ah! R-right, Xinyi apologizes once again, Master.” She stammered, wiping her cheek nervously. “Answering Master Shao, Master Jinyi requests your presence in the East Sea Hall.”

Liang Fei thought about it. Jinyi was one of the names on the original’s ‘golden thigh’ list, so he must be a superior. He grimaced, not sure if it would be safe to meet with anyone else before he got a feel for this world. On the other hand, if he refused, it might be a sign of disrespect and cause trouble down the line.

(AN: I’ll be honest, I’m not sure if golden thigh is a term only used by those who read novels or is a general term so imma just assume its a general term.)

“I see. Thank you for informing me.” He said, nodding in acknowledgement. He sighed, thinking of all the ways this could go wrong. Just as his list reached 10, Xinyi spoke again.

“If Master Shao is willing, this disciple shall escort you.” She offered, not sure why she did so. There was nothing in that part of the sect she needed and to push herself onto her master was impolite to say the least. But looking at his still-as-water expression made her think he might need an escort.

She grimaced to herself, trying to figure out why that would even make sense but as quick as the thought came to her, it faded. As hard as she tried, she couldn’t recall what she’d been thinking about before.

“Thank you for the offer, young lady.” Liang Fei said, bringing her back to the conversation at hand. Whatever she had been thinking of was gone, never to be brought up again. “Shall we go then?”

“En.” She replied, a shy smile gracing her lips as she gazed up at Master Shao.

 

***

 

Meanwhile, System Q sighed, hating that it had to go through the trouble of rewriting memories. It’s freebie was supposed to be automated! So why did I have to manually muddle thoughts?! Annoying! Tedious!! Gross!!!

Huffing, Q relaxed, watching Liang Fei continue to talk with the Female Lead. Things were going well so far but that was boring. It’d hoped that the dumb human would struggle more but it turned out that he was a lot more adaptable and quick than anticipated. So boring.

Checking up on the protagonist, It found him training by himself, his thoughts filled with anger and a deep desire to prove himself. While Q was unable to influence him as it did with the FL, it was content to find that he had yet to note any changes. Too much fluctuations and Q might have to get involved.

It groaned at the thought of all that work. It’d rather just enjoy the show.

Just then, a wave of discontent ran though the little puff ball. This wasn’t unusual but it knew this aura well. It just prayed to gods it usually wouldn’t trust to tell it the time of day that it wasn’t directed at it.

{Q…} A grumble rumbled through the space, bring with it dread and heartache.

[Shit!]

 

***

 

Liang Fei and Xinyi continued to talk, though it mostly her talking. She didn’t seem to see anything strange about him asking so many questions about her studies. Perhaps she just figured that since he was a warrior, he would be curious about what an alchemist did.

From their conversation, he learned that Xinyi was an alchemist in training, which meant that rather than training her qi to strengthen and fortify her body, she used her qi to create pills and medicine. So she was kind of like a doctor in a way, at least that what he got out it.

Still, he couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous since that meant she had or would create the pill that would be used during his long march to death. When asked, he learned that the blood replenishing pill was something she was studying since it saved lives.

 _It would not be saving me!_ He cried in his heart, wanting to cry but having no tears. He still had to figure out the best means of surviving so he was nervous for the future.

“Master, we’ve arrived at the East Sea Hall.” Xinyi mumbled, a bit disappointed. She so rarely had someone to talk to about her studies. Everyone else in her section was very competitive so talking amongst each other was a sure fire way to get betrayed. Those outside weren’t even vaguely interested in the complexities of pill making or the the vast variety of combinations of variables that could produce a pill.

Seeing her disappointment, Liang Fei couldn’t help but pet her, wanting to comfort her. He’d come to like Xinyi. Sure, she was a chatterbox, much like his sister but while he complained about her being talkative, it wasn’t something he disliked.

“Perhaps we can continue our discussion at another time.” He offered, his eyes softening at the edges. “I’d love to hear more on your theories on purification and time ratios.” He now had a somewhat better understanding of what could and couldn't be done but he definitely needed more information. Learning about the world from a child was not something he really wanted to do.

Xinyi beamed, holding in her excitement for propriety's sake. With a smile, she bowed and walked away, excited at the prospect of telling Master Shao more about her research.

Liang Fei waved at her, though she probably didn’t notice. He was pretty surprised by how easy to read she was despite her initial reluctance to be near him. Perhaps he was already on the path to saving himself from the path of a slow and painful death.

 

***

 

Liang Fei entered the hall, noting the blues and greens used as decoration. He kept his gaze steady, years of covertly ogling cute things from the corner of his eyes making him expertly study the interior without turning his gaze once.

Luckily for him, before anyone would notice him walking around in circles, he was greeted by another man. He was dressed in the same manner as the youths from before, though a lot less ornant. The man walked up to him with a smile that failed to reach his eyes.

“Master Shao, you finally deigned to join us.” He sneered, cocking a brow at him. “Master Jinyi arranged for us to meet quite some time ago and yet you only now arrive.”

This man, Ge Wuying, as his memory told him, was slightly shorter than him.This left him sneering up at Liang Fei. Despite his height, he (LF) felt as if he was being looked down upon.

“I’ve kept you waiting then.” He replied with a nod. “Shall we go?” He offered, not giving him an apology. While this man might have been on the ‘golden thigh’ list, his relationship with him was unclear. From his tone, they might be on bad terms but it was hard to tell whether or not it was due to his tardiness or some past grievance.

Ge Wuying clicked his teeth, clearly upset to have failed to get a rise from the man. Had he known what Liang Fei had to deal with on a daily basis, he’d have known to have saved himself the trouble. With a huff, Ge Wuying led him to the meeting room, in which a meeting was already in process. Their arrival was met with stares, many annoyed but a few with wariness, as if it was to be expected.

“We humbly greet you, Sect Leader Zi Shuren.” They both said, bowing with respect. For Liang Fei, he just followed Ge Wuying’s lead, figuring that since the man was a sect leader, he was above him. That and his face was one of the highest on the GT list.

“Right, please sit, Master Ge.” The man Liang Fei assumed to be Zi Shuren said. Zi Shuren, a handsome but cold man, sat at the head of the table. As Ge Wuying returned to his seat, his eyes turned to Liang Fei. “Master Shao, you are late.” He stated, his eyes narrowing.

His eyes sent chills into anyone who met his gaze, which left most choosing to look down rather than freeze to death. Dozens had fell to his frozen glare, submitting to him without a word.

That, however, was not the case with Liang Fei.

“Yes.” He replied simply, not looking away once. “I humbly apologize for my tardiness.” He said with a bow. He could have gone further but something told him that the ice cube in front of him didn’t want an excuse. Which, to be fair, was all he could possibly give.

 _It not like I can go and tell him ‘sorry for being late but I died and was taken over by some guy who pissed off a system.’_ Even thinking of the sentence made him think it was crazy.

As Liang Fei began to question his own sanity, the group before him were staring at him with shock. Had he really managed to look their sect leader in the eye?! He hadn’t even flinched.

At the same time, Zi Shuren watched him, suddenly taking an interest in the man. Usually, Liang Fei tried to curry favor with him, making him somewhat unlikable but today he showed such resolve. Not only did he respond appropriately but he kept his gaze steady and calm, doing what most seasoned cultivators were unable to do.

“Sit. We have much to discuss.” He said with a small smile, gaining a surprised look from the other masters in the room. Sect Leader very rarely smiled and the few times he did, it was during a fight. Who was the opponent!? The collective thought as once.

“En.” Liang Fei, not noticing the looks he was getting or the atmosphere he’d created, walked to his seat. It was the only one available so it wasn’t too difficult. He served himself some tea and the conversation continued.

“As I was saying,” One man said, laying a hand on the table. “I don’t think such a small matter requires a cultivator of such a high rank. This is a low level divine beast. Why not just send a disciple?”

“Alone? They could get hurt!”

“If they are killed by such a weak creature, they must not have been very diligent in their training.” Another master, a woman sneered. “What’s more, think of all the monster cores they could collect. It’d be a good way to help their cultivation.”

“You wish to treat an invasion as a night hunt?”

“En.” She replied, taking a sip of tea. “I think it would help those who are falling behind to know what to strive for. If they falter, they’ll know being a cultivator is not for them.”

“I see your point but as teachers, we are not meant to discourage our students, even if it's for their own good.”

“It nothing like that! If they choose to leave on their own, that’s their choice.” The first man assured, waving off his concern. “Moreover, its not like anyone will die. These are reported to be low tier divine beasts. At their current level, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem.”

“That’s only if it isn’t a pack of divine beasts.”

“Whats makes you think that might be the case?”

“There are rumors that their might be a mid tier beast amongst them but it's hard to say.”

“To send our disciples against a low tier divine beast is one thing but a mid tier is sure to kill or at least critically injure them.”

“Not to mention that it isn’t known what kind of beast this is. It might be harmless but what if it’s something like a Ghoul or a Lamia?!”

The group muttered to themselves, having a much quieter discussion as Liang Fei sat and drank his tea. It was spicy and sweet, much to his delight. With a soft sigh, he let the heat rush through him. It wasn’t cold but he did like the warm feeling.

“Master Shao.” Zi Shuren said, his gaze having not left Liang Fei once during the discussions. He’d been curious as to how the young man would contribute to the conversation. In past meetings, Liang Fei always thrust himself into the discussion, trying to steer in his direction. This time, however, he’d remained silent. Quietly and respectful listening to the men speak their minds as if hearing their defense. “What say you?”

Liang Fei took another sip, needing to mask his silence. He’d expected to be called but not so soon. To be honest, he had no idea what was going on. Words that had meanings but were meaningless to him were tossed about so casually, he had trouble following. Divine beasts? Monster cores? He’d just dropped into this world less than an hour ago, give him some time to pick up the lingo, will ya!?

Still, he was now faced with the issue of speaking so he had to say something. As such, he had to think this through. Divine beasts were probably monsters and considering they mentioned an invasion, they were probably attacking people. Putting everything together, he figured it was perhaps cultivators who hunted down monsters, probably with whatever powers cultivators had. He briefly wondered why the Masters were unwilling to go but perhaps it was like asking the manager of a store or a department head to deal with a minor clerical error. It made sense to pass this off to a lower rank employee.

Actually, thinking of things in terms of employees made it a lot easier to follow. So there was a problem that was big enough for the head of a department to be notified but not big enough to require their involvement. The heads (masters) want to send a lower rank manager (disciples?) to handle it but worry it might be more than they can handle. The lack of information on the problem is the main issue then.

“Have we sent anyone to determine what we’re dealing with?” He asked, looking up from his tea. Silence met his inquiry. “Well?”

“Oh! Uh, not yet.” One man replied. His GT list told him his name was Yin Mu. “We just got notified this morning about a recent attack. There was no description other than it being a divine beast.”

“Why did you assume is was a low tier one, then?”

“Only low tier beasts reside near towns.” He explained, looking annoyed to have to explain this. “Most of the higher tier beasts reside deeper in the forest and they rarely venture out that far.”

“But they do venture out sometimes, right?” He guessed, gazing over the edge of his cup at the man. He started to sweat a little.

“Well…”

“Not to mention our lack of clear information makes it impossible to determine what we’re dealing with so even if it is a low tier beast, we won’t know until we send someone.” He stated coldly, turning his gaze to the man and woman so insistent on sending disciples “And if it isn’t, those who die will be dead because of you.”

No one spoke for a while, everyone’s gaze falling on the sect leader who watched impassively. No one had expected Liang Fei, a man known to curry favor and act sly, to so bluntly speak the thoughts they were thinking. How brazen! How noble!!

On the other side, Liang Fei briefly wondered if he perhaps said too much. He really wished for the meeting to just end so he can go and learn more about this world before he paints himself into a corner. Just as he contemplated how to get out of this, Master Zi Shuren spoke.

“I agree with Master Shao.” He sighed, amused by the looks on the other masters faces. They truly weren’t expecting Liang Fei to be so blunt. His interest in the man growing, he turned his formerly cold gaze on the man in question. “I’ll send someone to check it out and determine what we are dealing with. Master Shao, have you any suggestions?” He asked, wanting the man to look at him again.

Everyone remained silent, feeling as if something was happening between the two but unsure what that ‘thing ‘ was. Liang Fei, however, was trying to think of a proper reply and missed the hints being sent his way.

“I would never be so arrogant as to propose anyone.” He replied, hoping that’d be enough. “I will go along with whatever Sect Leader proposes.”

“I see. Then I suppose that concludes our meeting.” He replied, still staring at Liang Fei. The man himself didn’t notice the undue attention and instead rose to leave with the others. Before Zi Shuren could speak again, Liang Fei was gone, moving swiftly out the door. Years of having classes one after the other had him out the door faster than most of the other cultivators, making them misunderstand his actions.

The sect leaders ‘opponent’ ran away.

 

***

 

Liang Fei was tired. His day felt like it had been hours despite it only being 2 or so. As such, he chose to retreat to his (the originals) room and seclude himself for a while so he can learn about the world. Turns out there was a thing called Seclusion he could do.

When Xinyi had mentioned it, he was shocked and relieved to hear about it. Going into seclusion would give him the time to get to know his environment and get himself acclimated to his new body. His movements were still a bit stiff and mostly relied on muscle memory to get by. There was the issue of his cultivation but he figured he could deal with that when it came.

Following the path that he and Xinyi had walked before, he passed by a small training ground. A handful of disciples were sparing with one another, fierce and true in their form. He watched them, fascinated by the sight. He could barely keep up with their movements though something told him they were moving remarkably slow.

From the corner of his eye, he spotted blue-black hair. It was the cute one from before, though he hadn’t gotten his name. The little one was sparing with someone but not doing so well. His strikes hit only air and after a brief bout, he was knocked to the ground.

He wiped his face, careful to keep his hair over his face when he spotted Liang Fei. They shared a look before the little one glared at him and turned away, resuming his match. Liang Fei sighed, still confused as to why he was so disliked.

He gave the group one last look before turning away, missing the golden gaze that fell on his back as he walked away.


	6. Failed Attempt

“Did you hear the rumor?”

“Yeah, I did. I was pretty shocked though.”

“Makes sense, considering how he acted.”

“Still, it’s kinda weird.”

“Hm?” Xieren looked around the dining hall. Everyone was whispering but their words were loud and clear to him. They were speaking about something or someone. Usually, he wouldn’t care but he couldn’t help but be curious. Perhaps it had something to do with him?

“Brother Xieren!?” The youth looked up to see a beautiful young lady wave at him. Her long dark hair and luminous eyes glowed under the afternoon sun. Unaware of all the stares she was receiving, she called him over. “Come, sit with me, brother!”

With a heavy heart, he did so, trying to ignore all the glares he received from those who yearned for this one sister's attention. It wasn’t like he wanted to be the center of attention. No, he wished he could just disappear until he was strong enough to prove himself to all of them. Instead, he ended up gaining attention for all the wrong reasons.

Sitting across from the lovely lady, he sighed as he felt the glares burn holes into his back. Their jealousy really was unwarranted. This girl, Li Xinyi, was really not worth all this fuss. She was an idiot.

“Brother Xieren, what’s the matter?” She asked, apparently unaware of all the stares they were getting. “Do you have a stomach ache? Do you wish for me to rub it?”

Her innocent words, broadcasted across the dining hall by her casual tone, brought upon him darker glares. The other disciples wished death upon him, both wanting to kill Xieren and wanting to be him at the same time.

 _As I thought, she’s an idiot._ Xieren thought, shaking his head at her. Xinyi pouted, confused at his answer but soon nodded with understanding. Xinyi, despite being a genius at alchemy, was an idiot when it came to affection. She was so caring and sweet, many disciples wished to court her but her simplistic way of viewing others made it nigh impossible to get her to reciprocate. Everyone knew this about her and chose to just admire her from afar.

That changed when Xieren was accepted into the sect. No one was sure how the two met but they were soon seen together constantly. Whenever possible, Xinyi would visit Xieren, giving him gifts and having lunch with him. Many assumed they were close though Xieren denied this.

“I can’t control what she does.” He’d retort when confronted by her jealous fanboys. “If you have a problem with her visiting me, take it up with her.” This would usually lead to Xieren being beaten bloody and having to be carried to the infirmary, which would mean Xinyi would rush over to treat him.

Rinse and repeat.

This day, Xieren chose to ignore the stares. He was in a fairly good mood. It had been a good couple days since he last saw his Shizun and his absence meant he could relax and train on his own. While he wasn’t sure how well his cultivation was going, he knew for a fact he was probably getting more done without his Shizun’s so called guidance.

“Ne, Brother Xieren, have you heard the news?” Xinyi asked, eating her meal quietly. In front of her was a feast for at least three. While she had a huge appetite, he knew it wasn’t all for her.

“I’m guessing it’s what everyone is whispering about?” He asked, eating his meager meal. Due to his status, he wasn’t yet granted as much food as others. For whatever reason, he was given less. He didn’t mind. He could just go hunt for his own food.

“En, it’s been a crazy couple days!” She replied, shaking with excitement. This confused the young man since he knew few things interested Xinyi other than alchemy.

“Go on.”

“Master Shao went into seclusion.” She stated, placing some of her food onto his plate. Like, half of it. Whether she was aware of how much food he ate, Xieren wasn’t sure but whenever they ate together, she’d share more than half her meal with him. It was part of the reason why he ate with her despite all the trouble it brought him. Hunting was fine but it was hard to do so on a near empty stomach.

“Did he now?” He munched on his food. He thought back to the last time he saw Shizun, his impassive gaze watching him spar. While he’d wondered what he’d been doing since then, he didn’t think about why Shizun hadn’t appeared. He was used to Shizun not being around. The man rarely interacted with him to begin with.

“En, it’s not yet known how long he’ll be gone but most folk are on edge about it.” She said, pouting.

“How come?”

“Ah. Since he went into seclusion, Sect Leader Shuren has been in a foul mood.” She stated, sharing more food.

Xieren frowned at this. Even though he’d yet to meet the sect leader, he knew the man by rumor. It was said that Zi Shuren was stern, strict and just, letting little get to him, like a summer breeze against a mountain. To hear that their enigmatic leader was in a bad mood, possibly because of one man, sounded crazy to him.

“It might be because of something else.” He reasoned, cocking a brow. “I doubt Shizun has anything to do with that.”

“Perhaps. Oh, by the way, I've almost forgot, I met with Master Shao the other day.” Xinyi said, smiling at the memory. “He was very nice.”

“Nice?” He echoed, frowning. That didn’t sound like him. Shizun wasn’t nice or mean, nay he was indifferent to most. Xieren’s impression of Shao Liang Fei was minimal but he knew that much. The man was lofty, showing himself to be above others.

His mind wandered back to the event from a few days prior. When Shizun intervened with those bastards who cornered him. Who accused him of stealing. Not only did Shizun defend him but also allowed him defend himself. His touch, the first he’d felt from his master in months, was gentle and caring. Then he mocked at him.

“En, he and I spoke about my alchemy.” Xinyi replied, missing the darkened expression of Xieren’s face. “He seemed really curious about it. It was nice to have someone else to talk to about medicine. Master Shao-”

“Speaking of, how is the thing I asked of you?” He interrupted, not wanting to talk about Shizun anymore. Xinyi might be silly enough to trust him but Xieren knew better. “Is it done?”

“...No, not yet.” She sighed, closing her eyes. She might have missed his scowl but she knew Xieren disliked his Shizun so she chose to let it go. Perhaps it was a misunderstanding between them but it was none of her concern. “I still need some more herbs and I can’t request anymore from Master Zhihao.”

The way things went, alchemists in training were allowed to request the use of herbs at or below their level. The higher the level, the more difficult it was to nurture the plant fully. Xinyi was still a low level disciple despite her intellect due being too magnanimous to others. Luckily, the herbs she needed were low level but she had already reached her monthly limit.

Xieren knew how strict Fang Zhihao, the head of the Alchemist division was so he knew asking or even trying to steal the herbs wouldn’t work. But they needed them…

“I have an idea.” He stated, glaring down at the rice in his bowl. “Just leave it to me…”

 *** 

Meanwhile, some distance away, Liang Fei was lounging in his room. His seclusion had only been going on for a few days and in that time, he’d gotten a much better understanding of the world he inhabited. He had made sure to secure some books on the world’s history before secluding himself and binge read through it all.

The world was weird.

Apparently, this world of cultivation was once ruled by demons. Many generations before, demons ravished the land, killing thousands and enslaving many. This went on until a select few managed to capture a demon and get the secret of the demons weakness. It’s unclear what that weakness was and there were some holes in the history at that point, but the one thing that was clear was that war broke out between the humans and demons. To get on equal footing, humans used qi, something they already used to lengthen their life to gain the strength to fight. A long battle ensued until the demons were driven the far reaches of the continent and imprisoned in a dungeon deep under the ocean. The resentful energy released by those still trapped made the land surrounding the entrance uninhabitable. To prevent the miasma from spreading, Special flowers are used to keep the resentful energy at bay. As long as they remain blooming, it won’t spread.

“Thats a bit precarious.” Liang Fei muttered, resting the history book down. He looked around, taking in the scene. Dozens of books scattered about the ground, blankets strew about the room from him laying down where ever he felt like and snacks littering the spaces in between. He grimaced at the sight.

“I really should clean this up.” He said to no one, stretching his stiff muscles. He hadn’t actually moved that much over the last few days, choosing to spend his time learning more about the world. He just didn’t expect how little time it’d take to do so.

“Who knew being left alone for half a week was enough time to learn about an country’s history?” He concluded, taking up all the trash. He had never been so at peace before. Usually, someone would bother him throughout the day, whether it was demands for him to ‘eat for the love of god’ or ‘get some fresh air, you hermit’. To be allowed to curl up and read for as long as he wished was like a dream come true. Not only had he learned the history of the world but he also learned a bit about cultivation from his original’s memory.

Cultivation required one to take in and utilize qi in order the strengthen the body and spirit. There were several steps to doing so. One was having the right body, one capable of cultivation. Most folks didn’t but those who do can become cultivators. How far they get is determined by their body’s ‘root’.

Shao Liang Fei’s root was decent, allowing him to be praised and looked upon as the hope of their clan. When he hit a bottleneck, frustration set in and it led to him not trying for fear of failure.

The current Liang Fei was content where he was. He felt no desire to get any stronger than he was now, since it was a decent place to be. Ranking wise, the original was in a good place for his age.

Had the original lived to hear such words, he’d spit blood and rage about how complacent his replacement was. Shao Liang Fei wanted to be the strongest but Liang Fei was just content to live long enough to return home. He very much wanted to see his family. He wanted to hear his sister rant and rave about her latest novel obsession. To listen to his aunt and uncle share bad jokes. To be dragged about by his best friend on some dumb ‘adventure’.

He missed all that.

He missed all of them.

Shaking his head, he pulled himself from that train of thought. It wouldn't do him any good to let those things bring him down. He just had to survive for an (unknown) amount of time and He could return.

With that in mind, he thought about the second part of his plan. After learning about the world, he realized two things.

1: He still had about a month left of his seclusion.

2: His current level of understanding of the world was not nearly enough.

A world was not just it's history but also it's people. He needed to interact with the inhabitants of this world so he could adapt better. But it couldn't be in this sect. There were too many unknowns and the originals memories was fuzzy at best. If he tried to talk to the other cultivators, they were bound to notice the gaps in his knowledge.

He briefly thought about system Q's ‘freebie’ but decided not to chance it. He wasn't sure how that worked and relying on it was bound to make him too complacent in his mission.

Considering all these factors, Liang Fei came to a conclusion. He had to go to a town.

It allow him an opportunity to get used to the intricacies of the world and its rules. He could learn much more about a place from the lips of a local than from the pages of a book.

That and he really didn't want to spend the next month or so rereading books when he could do something else. His body buzzed with energy and he needed to move.

 ***

Hours later, as the moon shined bright in the sky, Liang Fei looked over his appearance, still amazed by the sight.

In the simplest terms, he was lovely.

His features were beautiful but not enough that one would doubt his masculinity. Long black hair fell smoothly down his back, stopping just above his tail bone. Somewhat self conscious about the length, Liang Fei chose to tie it back.

The most shocking part of his appearance was his eyes. From the looks of it, his eyes from back when he was alive came with him. Vibrant violet eyes stared back at him, reminding him of Yang Xue Tian's words from long before.

_Those eyes of yours are way too bright, man. It makes people think things you aren't willing to share._

Liang Fei hadn't understood what he'd meant at the time. He been told his eyes were attractive, yes, but to influence people's thoughts? He wasn't magical.

Setting that aside, Liang Fei finished getting ready, placing a mask over his face that effectively covered the top half of his face. He definitely didn't want to get caught sneaking about when he was supposed to be in seclusion. Especially if he had to then explain it was half because he was bored.

He left his dwelling, listening out for any guards or people. While his clothes were dark enough to blend in with the cool night, these were cultivators so who knew how good their senses were.

Armed with nothing but a light pack and a sword that rarely left his side (he'd tried to get rid of it but no such luck), Liang Fei managed to slip past the few people wandering about. He even spotted the youths from his first day, loitering about near the female disciples quarters.

Cold violet eyes stared down at the group. He could let them be but what kind of man would that make him? Plus, if they were planning to frame another innocent, he sure as hell wasn't going to make it easy for them.

He took the time to alert the guards and lead them to the youths. The group panicked and attempted to run away but were soon caught and dragged away. Despite that, the guards still looked out for the original intruder, being wise enough not to start a panic over it that he could use to cover his escape. Liang Fei was sure they didn't realize it was him but sticking around was not a good idea. Just as he was slipping away, he spotted Xinyi, sitting in her room.

The window was open and she looked quite concerned. Every once in a while, her eyes would dart to the window sill, as if expecting someone to be there. Had something happened? He wanted to go down and comfort her but couldn't for various reasons.

With a heavy heart, Liang Fei left, successfully escaping the sect ground and finding himself in a fairly dense forest. Confident in his bodies sense of direction, he strode forward confident he’d reach civilization soon.

About an hour later, Liang Fei leaned against a tree, panting. He had been walking a while didn't seem to have professed all that much. The trees still looked the same. He considered marking the trees but with how dark it was,  he doubted it help. His vision was fairly good despite how dim the stars were that night. He wished he’d thought to bring a torch or even a map but he thought that his night vision would enough.

Turns out, it wasn’t.

Sighing, he looked around for some shelter. Going back in the dark was bound to get him even more lost and continuing on without a map was not going to help either. Still, he tried to keep his senses open, fearful of what might be in the woods.

Before he’d left, the sect leader, Zi Shuren had spoken about beasts wandering the woods, While he wasn’t sure where these beast resided, if they lived in woods, there was bound to be a few in this forest as well.

Just as he was thinking about it, he heard a faint but deep hiss erupt from the darkness. Looking around, he couldn’t spot the source but he could tell it was close. Placing a wary hand on his sword’s handle, he rushed forward, away from the sound.

His study on the beasts of the world was not as detailed as he’d like. They rarely appeared before humans and the few that did either were low level or deadly enough to kill any who see them. He’d even heard of one that spit poison mist to blind it’s prey before chasing it to exhaustion. He hoped the creature following him wasn’t that one.

His hands clenched around the sword. He’d read that the swords could be used against them but this sword was currently unusable. It refused to leave it’s sheath and refused to leave his side. So it was basically just dead weight.

A shiver raced through his body, his weight shifting to the left as something crashed into the spot he was standing before. He rolled and his back hit a tree. As he tried to regain his breath, the hissing returned, louder than before. Panicked, Liang Fei rolled to his feet and ran as fast as he could, not risking his life to look behind him.

Later, he’d both curse his luck and thank his stars cause when he tripped over a very obvious in hindsight branch, his life was saved. He fell forward, feeling something rush just over his head as he rolled down a small ravine. Despite his panic, he did his best to keep his head safe. He wasn’t sure about a lot of things but he doubted cultivating qi could protect one from concussions.

When he finally hit a wall, he quickly looked around, searching for the monster chasing him. Surely it would follow him. Yet after a full 2 minutes of silence, nothing came toward him. He didn’t try to look for it any further. Had it wanted to, it could have caught him by now. Either it had lost his scent or lost interest. Either way, he wasn’t going to go back out there.

Shivering a bit, he looked around. His accidental shelter was a shallow cave. It felt slightly damp but possibly from floodings during rainstorms. He’d been lucky it wasn’t raining recently or he might have had a hard time finding something to burn. Just as he was setting up a small campfire, he heard something nearby.

He stopped what he was doing, letting the modest flame grow and fill the small cave with gentle light and warmth. The orange glow illuminated the space, revealing a small mound in the corner a few feet from Liang Fei. Had it not shivered every once in a while, one might think it was a corpse.

Concerned, Liang Fei slowly approached, being careful to not make too much sound. He didn’t want to scare them.

He learned his concern was unwarranted, since the person was asleep, restlessly so. With his back to the flame, Liang Fei couldn’t see who it was. He did feel that he was cold though, so he gently lifted him into his arms and brought him over the the fire. Sitting with the young man's head on his lap, Liang Fei frowned as the light illuminated his face.

It was the adorable boy from before.

While he had yet to learn the youths name, he could never forget cute faces, even boys. This was also the boy who glared at him not once but twice. How could he ever forget such a child. Still, it begged the question:

What was he doing here?

Just as the thought entered his head, the young boy cried out in his sleep, his hands reaching out catching the side of Liang’s Fei’s mouth who was leaning over him. Crying out in pain, Liang Fei took hold of the boys wrist, encasing them in his one hand while his other hand tenderly wiped the blood from his lip.

Why was his nails so sharp!?

Licking the wound, he tasted blood. He flinched in pain but ignored it to reach into his bag for some medicine. He was no alchemist but his basic understanding of medicine definitely helped him in this world. It not like there was a hospital or convenience store he could go to if things got bad.

As he treated his wound, the youth kept crying out, mumbling something under his breath. He hadn’t paid it any mind until he got louder.

Vas’ne… Vas’ne jumi kan…” He cried, struggling to get his hands free. Despite his best efforts, Liang Fei had the stronger body. He might as well be pinned by a mountain. Still, Liang Fei was a bit concerned. His tone was not normal

“Are you hurt?” He asked, not sure if he’d be heard. He somewhat hoped he wasn’t. This young man knew him. He could easily out him for escaping on his own. But he couldn't help but ask. The young man looked to be in pain. “Where does it hurt?”

“Loosu… Vas’ne Loosu.” He mumbled, sounding more out of it than before. But Liang Fei knew it was an answer to his question. He just had no clue what the hell a Loosu was! Moreover, why was this boy speaking another language? Did he now have to learn an entirely new language as well?!

Pushing that aside, he looked over the boys body, trying to figure out where his ‘loosu’ was. From where he sat, there didn’t look to be injured anywhere. His clothes were dirty and torn in places but none had any blood stains so he figured he hadn’t been cut. It was a guess at best but he didn’t want to remove his clothes. Good intentions or not, it’d be hard to explain if he woke up in the middle.

Onto the face. Unlike when they first met, his face was entirely visible to him. Looking him over Liang Fei couldn’t help but send a prayer to those who would fall for such a face in the future. While his face still had some cute child fat rounding his cheeks, Liang Fei would see the disaster he’d grow up into. He’d have women falling at his feet.

Had Liang Mei seen this, she'd probably squeal and shout about how meng he was. If she got really far into her fantasized, she might go so far as to start shipping him with someone. Personally, he'd only heard tale of her shipping from his friend but he knew he had to keep his precious student from what XueTian called ‘Teh gay shit’.

The young man whimpered, fighting his grip on his wrist. It was only then that Liang Fei remembered where he was. He’d drifted off and ended up tightening his grip unconsciously.

“Ah! S-sorry.” He reached up to stroke his head but the young man refused to relax. The pain brought tears to his eyes and his arms fought for freedom. Frowning, Liang Fei studied his face once more. If he wasn’t mistaken, the young man’s face was slightly red. As his tears fell, his pure white skin was revealed.

Though he was unsure of many things, he knew something must have gotten in his eyes. From the looks of it, the young man had yet to rub his eyes but the urge was there by how desperately he was trying to get his hands free. Plus with how sharp his nails were, he was bound to cut himself.

Part of him was confused by the fact that this kid had sharp nails when he didn’t before and did wonder why he was even out here but concern for his safety was forefront in his mind.

Carefully, he used his water skin to pour the cool liquid over his eyes. As expected, the substance was slowly washed away but quickly woke the boy up. He cried out, panicking because he couldn’t open his eyes.

“Shh!” Liang Fei said, holding his head still so he could pour more water. The boys flailing didn’t help. While he had managed to wash away most of the stuff, he had to make sure the kid refrained from opening his eyes until he was sure. “It’s okay, it’s okay.”

His comforting words didn’t do much. Fear was racing through Xieren as pain and darkness kept him on his toes. Who was this?! An enemy? Even his words felt hollow and insincere. Yet he couldn’t escape, which fueled his panic.

Seeing that his words were doing nothing, Liang Fei felt he had to change tactics.

He recalled one time when his sister had gotten scared of a sudden blackout and screamed in fear. Despite him trying to comfort her, his words never reached her. Even as he held her close, she sobbed in fear. There was only one thing he could think of to bring her back.

Liang Fei brought Xieren close and held him to his chest. Stroking his back, he rocked him back and forth and started to hum. The tune was some song his sister liked as a child that brought her comfort. It wasn’t his type of music but he liked it since Mei liked it.

His thoughts drifted to memories of his former life, not knowing exactly when the boy stopped fighting him and relaxed. Minutes passed and the boy was quickly falling asleep. Liang Fei didn’t  notice but continued to hum, not wanting the boy to be scared that he was alone in a dark unknown place.

He, as much as anyone, knew how scary that could be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation notes:
> 
> Meng: The chinese version of kawaii, which means cute.


	7. Lead by Scent

*Hours before*

_“Are you sure about this?” Xinyi mumbled, her fingers twisting the fabric of her robes worriedly. She was giving him that look he always disliked. The one of pure concern that made his chest hurt._

_“I said I’d do it, did I not?” He replied, looking away. Why must she act this way? Could she not just treat him like everyone else? Her kindness was… weird._

_Ever since he’d arrived in the sect, he’d been looked down on. The majority of the disciples were from noble or at least rich families with lots of prestige and honor. To be allowed entry was a honor in itself. Xieren, however, was an exception._

_He was just a child found on the side of the road. He’d been alone for as long as he could remember and had fended for himself from day one. He wasn’t sure why he was taken in but was grateful for the opportunity to do more than just scavenge for food and hope to die a peaceful death._

_But to his disappointment and everyone else's amusement, he found himself struggling to get very far. Simple exercises were like uphill battles to him, with him lagging behind even the youngest of disciples. No matter how hard he worked, nothing came out of it._

_That’s when Xinyi came into his life._

_She had spotted him in the infirmary after being beaten by some fellow disciples who tried to cut his hair. He’d bitten them and they, in turn, broke one of his fingers. He’d originally only sought to get some pain killing medicine but Xinyi, the observant girl she was, notice what the medic there fail to. She offered to help him set it, ensuring that he could still use it with little trouble. She had even told him that doing it the way she observed him doing it would just make it unusable. After that, she never left him alone._

_“Yes, but going into the forest alone is dangerous!” The young lady warned, bringing Xieren back to the present. “What if you get attacked?”_

_“I might be weak here but I can take care of myself.” He assured her, confident he’d grown at least a little stronger in the last few days. He felt energized and excited, as if the stars were allied in his favor this day._

_Xinyi looked unconvinced._

_“Just… be mindful of your surroundings, alright?” She muttered, looking very much reluctant to let him go but knowing she wasn’t going to convince him. Reaching into her pouch, she pulled out a slightly smaller pouch. At her level, she could store a few items in her Space with little effort. Xieren… couldn’t._

_He was not bitter about it. (AN: He totally is)_

_“Here, take this.” She said, holding out the pouch. “This should help keep most divine beasts away, though it might also attract some but that beast rarely leaves the mountain…” She explained, which led into her muttering to herself. Not wanting to wait for her to remember that she was mothering him, he snatcged the pouch from her hand._

_“Thanks, sister.” He called out, running to the exit before she could stop him. Xinyi stared at his back, wanting very much to follow but unable to. She could only hope he’d be okay alone._

***

_Xieren knelt on the ground, searching the ground for herbs. Due to complications, he now had to collect the herbs needed by Xinyi. Luckily for him, low level herbs like the one she needed were common and could be found just about anywhere._

_The bad news was that it had taken him hours to find them._

_The sun was beginning to set and he’d only just finished gathering enough for Xinyi to finish her latest pill. It was intended for Xieren but no one needed to know that._

_Huffing out a breath, Xieren looked around, hoping to catch sight of some herbs that helped with fevers. For a while, he’d been getting sick and needed to take some medicine to help keep it manageable._

_Today was when it should be peaking so he had to get some now before it got bad. Just as he spotted some of the stuff, he felt a slight shudder ripple through the earth. Freezing, he listened out for the source, barely breathing in fear he’d be heard._

_Silence was all he was met with though his fears didn’t subside. Carefully, he reached for the bag of herbs and started back to the sect, knowing that staying out at night was surely dangerous. While divine beasts were rare this close to a sect, there were still the odd beast to be wary off. They were usually low level but for someone of his rank, it might be deadly._

_Looking over his map, he followed the path until he felt the earth shudder again. This time, it felt a lot closer. With his instincts in high alert, Xieren quickly hid behind some rocks, quickly slowing his breath as he felt it creep closer._

_**Hiss~** _

_Shivering, Xieren’s fists clenched as he heard the low and dangerous hiss of a divine beast. It must have been huge from the noise it made as it past but he was not going to chance it by looking. After waiting a few seconds, he began to worry._

_Why wasn’t it leaving?!_

_Instead, it remained nearby, flitting it’s tongue out, it’s menacing hiss now coming out inquisitive. Was it looking for some-_

_Xieren’s eyes darted to the pouch Xinyi had given him. It’s scent was still strong but the winds would have made it hard to find the source._

_Fearful, Xieren was just undoing the pouch string when he saw faint mist form from below. Wary, he covered his mouth with his sleeve, trying not to breath it in. He’d read about creatures that spit out poison mist. Sometimes, the mist was meant to paralyze or kill the victim. He wasn’t sure which mist this was but he didn’t want to find out._

_Unfortunately for him, the mist soon reached his chest and began to irritate his eyes, making them burn. Unconsciously, he cried out, trying to resist the urge to rub his eyes. Just then, as he let his eyes close, the beast’s hiss drew so close, he knew it had spotted him. Not waiting a second, Xieren broke out into a run, ignoring the crushing sound of stone behind him._

_While his vision was blurry, he could make out enough to keep from running into any trees. Not that any trees lasted long as the beast rigorously chased him, attracted to his pouch._

_At times like these, a cultivator might have used some spells or anything to defend himself but unfortunately, Xieren was no good at that kind of thing. All he could do was create a flame only large enough to illuminate a room._

_A thought crossed his mind just as the beast opened its mouth to let out another stream of mist. Faint mist filled the air, making Xieren’s vision blurrier. Just as he was trying to summon enough qi to summon a flame, the ground disappeared from beneath him._

_Darkness consumed his consciousness and the last thing he saw was a vague shape loom over him from far above him._

***

The next morning, Xieren woke up, though he was still very weak from the night before. His memories from then were vague though he felt he’d been helped by someone.

And that someone was carrying him.

The warmth and the steady heartbeat against his cheek was soothing enough to keep him sleeping but this person was very rough with him. Every step echoed through his body and jostled Xieren awake.

He (XR) would have complained but who was he to do such a thing? This person had cared for him and kept him company throughout the night. While his memory might have been vague, he knew that person and this person was the same. How?

His scent.

Xieren’s eyes couldn’t be opened due to the venom spewed so he had to rely on his other senses. Even now, his eyesight was blurry and unclear, showing him only vague shapes passing him by. A tree here, something that vaguely resembled a rock there.

As such,the most prominent thing he could latch onto was smell. And this stranger smelled strange.

The scent wasn’t bad but unfamiliar. It tickled his nose and made him want to guess what it was. Was it a fruit? A Flower? Perhaps a mix of things. Maybe none. All Xieren knew was that he liked the smell and felt content to bask in it was he was lulled back to sleep.

***

Xinyi had spent the night stressing to the point of sleeplessness. Xieren had not returned despite how much he said he would. He was lucky though.

Apparently no one cared enough to even check on him.

Frustration burned in her heart, making her want to scream at those callous disciples who just shrugged off her concern as silly. Saying things like ‘he’ll show up again at some point’ or ‘why be so concerned about him?’ Like Xieren was just some stray that regularly wandered in and out.

Thinking of the quiet and usually sullen youth, Xinyi couldn't help somewhat agreeing with that observation. Xieren was hard to get close to. Even she, as close as she thought she was to him, knew little to nothing about him. The only reason he even spoke to her at all was due to her knowledge of medicine. If not for that…

Perhaps it was one-sided but she still wished to be his friend. She felt he really needed one.

Clenching her fist, Xinyi stared at the ground, wanting to go out a look for him. She longed to run out to search but she wasn’t a warrior. She wasn’t even allowed to leave the grounds without permission. It was that reason alone she hadn’t gone with him when she ran out of herbs.

And now she regretted that choice.

Should she have gone against the rules and went with him anyway? She wondered, walking to the infirmary. One of her tasks was to prepare some of the herbs for the doctor at dawn. It was a hard job, since it required her to wake up early in the morning but it was one that usually brought joy to her. Today however, her worries over Xieren had soured her usual joy.

Opening the door, she called out to the doctor, who was still asleep but liked to be informed when someone showed up. She wasn’t sure how but apparently Master Zhihao could hear and remember stuff said to him while he was half asleep.

Just as she was about to start setting up, she noticed that one of beds were occupied. Jumping at the sight, she tried to recall if anyone spent the night there. While she hadn’t been with Master Zhihao, she was sure she would have been called if there had been. Upon closer inspection, she noticed the person’s face.

“Brother Xieren!?” She cried, rushing over and leaning over him. Looking him over, she saw he had some scratches and bruises but nothing life threatening. Tear filled her eyes as crashed down on him, relief spreading through her.

He was okay.

Xieren, on the other hand, was greatly bothered. He’d been resting quietly and peacefully, letting the nice smell that still lingered in the air fill him. He really wished the warm back was there too but he was too tired to question it.

Then something slammed into him.

“Gah!” He gasped, sitting up to hold his gut. The thing, person, who landed on him gasped, sounding close to tears.

“B-Brother? Are you in pain?” Xinyi asked, unaware of her attack on his body. “Did someone hurt you!?”

Yes, you!!! He thought, rubbing his stomach. Still, he felt good. He was back at the sect. Xinyi had found him… Wait, that wasn’t right. How did he…?

“Why are you blindfolded? Were your eyes hurt yesterday?” Xinyi asked, carefully reaching over to remove the cloth over Xieren’s eyes. It was black and torn at the edges. Clearly, it was torn from someones robes but Xieren’s robe was immaculate (relatively). So it wasn’t his.

“I was chased by something but i managed to slip away.” He explained, trying to open his eyes. Unlike before, his vision wasn’t blurry, though the sudden light did make it hard to see for a while. As he tried to adjust to the light, Xinyi continued to question him.

“Chased? By what?” She asked, looking over his hands to treat the small wounds there. “The pouch I gave you should have repelled most creatures that are known to this area.”

“Yes, but you also said it attracts certain beasts, right?”

“Well, yes but that beast is a mountain dweller. They rarely leave the summit! There’s no way that it was there.” She stated, looking him in the eye. Her pale blue eyes connecting to his gold eyes, he could see the sincerity there. Unconsciously, Xieren relaxed, glad that he hadn’t been set up by her. Xinyi was annoying at times but she was a nice girl.

“I don’t know what it looked like, since I didn’t directly look at it but it hissed and breathed out a venomous mist.” He said, sitting back and letting her treat his hands. They were more messed up than he’d thought. He must have tried to break his fall before passing out. “Do you know what it was?”

“It was a Wandering Mist Serpent.” Both youths turned to see a handsome man step from the adjoining room. Yawning, the man gave off the impression of someone lazy and drifting. On might be quick to make many assumptions about the man but both youths knew better than that.

Master Zhihao counted on those assumptions to lure his opponents into his traps.

Seeing her master awake so early was new for Xinyi but she bowed in respect to him, greeting him properly. Xieren followed suit, though his body was still a bit sore from his fall. Zhihao took his time examining them both.

The bags under Xinyi’s eyes and her hands clenched on the blanket covering Xieren. The redness  around Xieren’s eyes and his stiff movements. Even the faint smell of muck lingering on the boy was obvious to him. So he didn’t bother to ask what he’d been doing, though the question of how he’d gotten into the building undetected was lingering in his mind.

But more pressing issue was the serpent.

“From what you described, the beast you encountered must have been a Wandering Mist Serpent.” He stated, sitting down on a nearby chair. As he straightened up his clothes, Xinyi got up to prepare some tea. It was one of her many jobs under master Zhihao.

“But what would a level 3 divine beast be doing so close to the TianJian Sect?” Xinyi asked, looking back at Zhihao. “Surely someone would have notified the sect leader about it. Moreover, they don’t generally live in this environment.”

Xinyi was correct. Wandering Mist Serpents were most commonly found on mountain tops or other high altitude areas. While the TianJian Sect was mountainous, it was not high enough to draw Mist Serpents near. For one to be this close was strange.

Zhihao thought the same but said nothing, letting Xinyi serve him tea and return to Xieren’s side. Neither disciple could think of anything else to say so the silence fell upon them. Xieren couldn’t help but think about the monster that chased him. If what was said about it was true, he truly had been lucky to not have been caught by such a thing. He could have easily been numbed to the bone and eaten alive. Xinyi’s thoughts were much the same, though guilt for having let him go alone ate at her more. Seeing both young people grow paler under the morning sun, the elder before them felt the need to speak.

“What brings you to my office so early in the morning, young man?” Zhihao asked, cutting the tension with a casual word. “You don’t look to be too injured.”

Surprised, Xinyi looked him over and noticed that Zhihao was correct. While the bruises and scratches were visible, the slight sheen over them indicated that he’d been treated already. Not very well, she noted, looking at the haphazard use of ointment used but definitely treated.

Xieren, on the other hand, thought of the voice he’d heard the night before. The one that assured him that he’d be okay and gentle rocked him to sleep. The one whose scent still lingered in his nose, making him shiver with delight.

Unconsciously, he pressed his sleeve to his face, wanting to catch the elusive and unique smell. It was faint but there. While he was still unsure about that man, he couldn’t deny he was curious about a lot of things.

But for now, he’d keep that to himself.

“I apologize, Master Zhihao.” Xieren whispered, bowing his head. “I felt a bit light headed from before and needed to rest. I thank you for your understanding.”

“...And the one who brought you here?” He asked, not letting him slip out of his line of questioning. Zhihao was sure someone else had been with him. How he’d failed to notice until after Xieren was dropped off was still unclear.

“I’m afraid I cannot give an clear answer, Master.” He replied, his tone suitably contrite. “This disciple never saw that person and cannot give master any answers. Please forgive me.”

Zhihao glared at Xieren for a while, sipping his tea quietly. He very much disliked that Xieren was clearly protecting this unknown person from him, one of his elders. But he also knew that the young man was telling the truth as well. If he’d been attacked by the Wandering Mist Serpent, his eyesight would have been the first target, so he doubted Xieren saw anything. Anything else given would be circumstantial at best so there was really no point in pressing the issue.

Still, to think some bastard managed to break into his area…

His hand clenched around the cup until it cracked. The two disciples failed to notice the change in the air.

Elsewhere, Liang Fei felt a shiver run down his spine. Did someone have ill intentions toward him? He thought, looking around. But he hadn’t even done anything yet!

***

Days passed and Xieren soon found himself staring out into the densely packed square. He grimaced at the chaos before him.

“Are you sure it’s wise to do this, Xinyi?” He asked, looking up at the girl beside him. Despite being close in age, Xieren was dwarfed by Xinyi. He was shorter than most people. It wasn’t by much but it was a matter of pride for the young man.

“I don’t see how that could be the case.” She replied, fearlessly walking through the crowd as she searched for the right shop. “Master Zhihao asked us to do this.”

“No, he said he needed someone to buy his things, not us and especially not me.” He pointed out, annoyed to have been dragged along. He’d tried to remain at the sect but Xinyi responded to his well reasoned and firm rejection by pouting and pitifully lamenting how cruel and heartless he was to allow his female friend wander about town all alone.

Even knowing her tears were fake didn’t harden his heart enough to refuse her.

“Yes, but as his student, I must act according to his wishes and he wishes for… Hemp oil and Sesame seeds.” She said with a smile, reading off her list. “Besides, we owe master for not letting anyone know how you got injured or why.”

Xieren had fallen ill for a few days after their conversation, having to remain in bed for fear of hurting himself. While the matter of the serpent had been reported, Master Zhihao was kind enough to keep Xieren out of it, saving him from having to explain why he’d left the sect grounds without permission. While it might not seem like much, such disregards for the rules would not be looked upon kindly. As such, the young man did indeed owe that tea guzzling old man.

“Fine.” He grumbled, looking away as Xinyi rushed forward to talk to a stall manager. While her looks were sweet and humble, her eyes glowed fiercely as she began to haggle for the best items for the lowest deal. Had he not seen the sight before, he might have been staring at her with awe, just as some who passed them by were.

Instead, his mind was on other things. Particularly, the conversation happening somewhere nearby. While the daytime rush was loud and chaotic, the conversation was clear as day since those involved had to yell over the crowd.

“Hey hey, brother what took you so long?” A female voiced asked, sound a bit annoyed. She was clearly older, possible a veteran shop keep from how hoarse her voice was. “I expected you over an hour ago.”

“Sorry, Auntie.” Another voice replied, calm and cool like water on a hot day. It drew Xieren in more than anything else surrounding it and made him tune in. “There were a it of other tasks. Please excuse my tardiness.”

“Always so fancy with the words, aren’t you.” The lady laughed, greatly amused and apparently having gotten over the lateness of this man. “You continue to work hard and you might have a place in our little town, Tankian.”

“Your words are too kind, Auntie.” ‘Tankian’ replied. “I must get going. I have a lot to do today.” He said, dashing off in Xieren’s direction. Not wanting to be caught eavesdropping, he turned his back to the man. As such, he didn’t see the long flowing hair drifting behind him as the man ran past. He didn’t noticed the lightness of his steps as he ran.

(AN: Tankian is the surname of a metal artist I and LF like.)

What he did notice, that gripped his attention like a bolt of lightning, was the scent that drifted past his nose just as the man ran by.

The scent that matched nothing he could place. He’d tried to place it but nothing came close. It was too musky to be floral or fruit based but too pleasant to be just woodsy. It was a scent unique to only one person. The person Xieren had longed to see again over the last few days.

The mysterious man who sang him to sleep.


	8. Dirty Fighting

Heart racing in his chest, Xieren rushed to catch up with the man. He was taller so his long strides created more distance and his back quickly became hard to catch. He failed to hear Xinyi call out the him.

The only thing on his mind was catching up with the mysterious man. He had many questions to ask him.

_Who was he?_

_Why had he saved him?_

_Why did he smell so nice?_

That last question brought him to a halt, his brows furrowed in confusion.  _His scent?_  While it was definitely pleasant, to ask such a thing would be...

"Ah, I finally caught up with you!" Xinyi called out, panting as she reached his side. "Why did you run off like that? You got me worried that we were caught."

While disciples were technically allowed to leave the sect, it was only under certain circumstances. While being sent on a errand or task by ones master was one of those circumstances, Xinyi and Xieren hadn't been asked to do this. As such, they had to hide from plain view. It was because of this that they both wore regular robes rather than their sects robes.

"Sorry." He sighed, looking around. He couldn't see the man anymore and the crowd was too dense to catch a scent. "I thought I spotted someone I knew." He grumbled.

"A friend?" She guessed, now curious. Xieren, as far as she knew, wasn't acquainted with anyone other than her and a few elder's that resided in the sect. To hear he had other friends made her both happy and a bit sad. "Perhaps we can-"

"What nonsense are you speaking of?" He interrupted, cocking a brow. "I don't have any friends." He stated, shaking his head. His thoughts had drifted toward other things, like how he could spot the man again.

As he pondered this, Xinyi stared at him, her face pale. With shaking hands pressed to her chest, she called out to him.

"B-brother Xieren?" She stammered, staring down at the ground. "You... you have no one you consider a friend?"

"Of course not." He replied without hesitation. He had no clue why she had asked but Xieren chose not to lie. He was a wary young man, almost to the point of paranoia. Such thoughts helped him a lot growing up.

Being orphaned and alone in the world did not allow for one to consider the notion of friendship. He'd seen too many 'friends' and 'brothers' stab each other in the back to even consider letting someone get close.

It was because of this that his sudden fixation on this mystery man bothered him so much. He still had no clue why he wanted to see him. Was is curiosity? Did he just want to repay a debt? The man had saved him and took him back to the sect. While many would have left him there, this man, Tankian, hadn't.

"We should head back." Xinyi said, interrupting his thoughts. He looked up only to see her back turned and walking away. Xieren frowned, sensing something off about the usually jovial girl. She seemed a bit withdrawn.

"What about Elder Fang's herbs?" He asked, looking to see Xinyi was empty handed. She must have dropped everything to catch up with him. He couldn't help but feel a bit guilty for causing trouble for her. What if she got scolded? "Shouldn't we-"

"It's fine!"

Silence fell between the two, neither wanting to speak another word. After a moment, Xinyi briskly walked forward, her chin held high and dignified like a noble Lady of the house. Xieren followed after her, not sure why the air between them felt so tense now.

 _Surely it will pass._  He thought.

***

It did not.

Two days later, Xinyi still was withdrawn. She still ate with him, sharing her food with him like normal but she didn't talk nearly as much and her smiles were weaker. There were times she would meet his gaze and look away, sadness flooding those beautiful blue eyes admired by many.

Xieren found himself missing her usual self.

Most times, her talkative nature was annoying, since he'd prefer to just relax in a quiet place but seeing her talk so little made the world feel... kind of empty. Like something that once filled the air had been sucked out, leaving only a vacuum.

His head in the clouds, he failed to notice the young men who quickly cornered and herded him out of sight. He was slammed into the wall of one of the buildings, his skull ringing from the impact.

"What do you-"

What did you do to Ah-Yi, you bastard?!" The apparent leader roared, pinning him by his collar to the wall.

"Ah-yi? You mean Xinyi?" He asked, confused. Looking them over, he could tell they were older. Were they also enamored by her? Xieren scowled, frustrated beyond belief. He did not have time to deal with this kind of stupidity. "Good sir, Shixiong, as much as this shidi feels honored by your attention, I must ask that you release me. Xinyi probably dislikes such forceful men an-"

His words were interrupted by a fist slamming into the wall behind him. The structure remained sturdy but Xieren could feel the force used as it rippled through the building. Had that fist hit him, he would probably (definitely) have died. Fear of that scenario stilled his tongue as the young man went on.

"I don't know why Ah-Yi bothers with trash like you but I know you've done something to her." He accused, rage punctuation his every word. "She hasn't truly smiled in days and it must have something to do with you."

"N-not everything that happens to her involves me." He retorted, looking away. He too had noticed her change but was unsure how to solve the problem. He really didn't need to be told this by others.

"Yet you dare cause trouble for her?" He accused, raising his fist to strike again. Xieren could tell that the strike was meant to hit him but the young man was pinned and didn't have the time or strength to overpower him.

"Quite the sight for this old man to catch, eh?" A voice sighed, surprising all who were present.

Xieren, noting the calmness of the man's voice, opened his eyes to find that he was staring at someone's back. For just a second, he thought it might have been that mysterious man from before but he quickly found out he was wrong. Much to his disappointment.

"E-Elder Fang?" The Shixiong stammered, looking as if he wanted to run but was pinned to the ground. While Master Zhihao was not a warrior, he was a respected Cultivator nonetheless. His brotherly relationship with sect leader Zi Shuren made him someone most wouldn't dare to anger. "What are you..."

"Do not waste your breath." He interrupted, raising a hand. "If you wish to make excuses for attempting to harm a fellow disciple, you can save it for someone who will listen. I, on the other hand, have more important things to do." He stated, coldly staring down at the young men. While he was generally a laid back and polite man, Zhihao could not stand those who bully others.

"It's as you say, Elder Fang but he has been causing trouble with -"

"Oh I heard you, no need to repeat yourself." He interrupted, not hiding his disinterest at all. "But explain to me how this fact means you are justified in harassing this young man?"

"Elder, we meant no really harm." He assured, smiling good naturedly. Usually this worked against most but apparently not Zhihao. Elder Fang cocked a brow, briefly pointing at the cracked wall beside Xieren's head. 

"And that?"

"That... That is..." The older boy tried to think of an excuse. He knew of Xieren. Everyone did. He was known to be unfavored by his master so most were free to vent their frustrations on him without fear of reprisal. Even when noticed, few bothered to intervene since it was too troublesome. Yet...

"Three laps."

"Eh?

"Did you not hear me? Three laps around the sect grounds." He ordered, coldly staring down at the young men. He had heard about Liang Fei's punishment of some disciples and thought to use it too. It was just cruel enough to be a legitimate punishment but not so cruel as to be impossible. In his heart, Zhihao gained a little respect for the usually unlikable man. "If you are unsatisfied, please inform me. I'll raise it to six."

Without another word, the young men ran off, glaring dagger at Xieren, who just stared at the ground. Frustration filled him, making him feel sick. Yet again, he had been saved because he'd been too weak to defend himself. Clenching his fist, he yet again cursed his Shizun for not training him as he should have.

As Shizun's disciple, it would be rude for him to ask anyone else to train him since it'd imply he didn't have confidence in his own master. Which meant that since Shizun refused to make time and train him, Xieren was stuck observing others and mimicking them. As one could imagine, it wasn't the best (or even a decent) way of learning anything but what else could he do?

"Oi, kid, are you planning on just standing there, glaring at the ground?" Zhihao complained, drawing Xieren from his bitter thoughts. "Cause if so, I could just leave and decide not to assist next time you nearly get your head smashed in."

"Ah! I-I'm sorry, Elder Fang." He cried, bowing with sincerity. "This disciple is very grateful for your help. Please forgive this disciples rudeness and allow me to repay your kindness." Elder Gang had showed him kindness but he was still a bit suspicious. As such, his words came out a bit hollow.

He really wasn't used to other people helping him when he was in trouble. Most just acted like they couldn't see or hear him, even after being taken in by Shizun. Even Xinyi, as kind as she was only found him after the fact. He didn't resent her for this but he still longed for someone to lean on... just once.

Incident, his mind brought up the image of Shizun from days before. The sight of his back facing him as he defended him from those annoying bastards. Something about that back felt familiar but he couldn't place it.

Zhihao had been watching him, noting how out of it he seemed. He briefly contemplated whether to just leave him to his thoughts but shook his head. He had things to resolve with the youth.

"I see." He said, snickering as Xierwn looked up at him with surprise. Had he assumed he was alone? "How about this? You come with me and I'll consider us even. You and I need to talk anyway."

***

Xieren followed Zhihao to his office, for the first thin noticing a few things. For one, it was surprisingly small despite how much was within. Books of various subjects were scattered about and smell of herbs were strong and gave him a headache.

Waiting for permission to sit, Xierens eyes darted about the room. He heard Xinyi was Elder Fangs assistant yet she hadn't cleaned up? Perhaps she hadn't arrived yet?

"If you're looking for the little lady, she isn't here today." He stated, clearing up a spot by his desk. "She has a few lessons to complete and won't be back today."

"I see." He muttered, disappointed. He hadn't seen her since the day before and had been worried. He'd grown used to seeing at least once a day. Even if she had lessons, she'd drop by to at least say hi but today, nothing. As he moped about, Zhihao stared at him, trying to understand the young man before him.

"So tell me, what was that about?" He asked, offering a seat to Xieren.

"I'm not sure."

"No clue at all." Zhihao cocked a brow. He was sure this must be a frequent occurrence considering how freely other disciples harassed this child. He briefly wondered if his master knew anything about it.

"They mentioned Xinyi so they must be admirer's of her." Xieren replied, his tone a mite bit annoyed. In response, Zhihao laughed.

"Oh, yeah, she is quite the popular girl, despite being as she is." He noted, chuckling to himself. Xieren was still suspicious of him but relaxed somewhat, noting how genuine the man's affection seemed. He might not be an ally to him but he wasn't terrible to Xinyi so perhaps he was fine. For now.

"Yeah but she has her charms." He replied, thinking of the energetic girl and her... assets. He was sure that was part of the reason she was so adored.

(AN: Puberty hit Xinyi like a train)

"Ah, has she charmed you as well?" Zhihao asked, curious to know more about the boy who befriended his beloved assistant. Xieren was all she spoke about when she wasn't talking recipes and medicine. "Is that why are guys are so close?"

"Please don't say that." The young man replied, looking a bit troubled. "I don't see her that way." This was true. While he acknowledged that she was beautiful and kind, his affection for her didn't go that far.

In another world, he felt he might have felt such a way, placing in her gentle hands the one thing he valued most. If given, she might be trustworthy enough to see the value it held. But now, she was just...

"Truly? Then how do you see her?" The older man asked, trying to read the boy before him. His discerning eye could spot a lot about him. His lack of eye contact, his wariness of others and his veiled words made him wonder.

"She is a good person." He replied, letting that be the last word. He didn't wish to explore his feelings on Xinyi, especially on someone he wasn't sure he could trust. Most of the Elders in the sect ignored him while the disciples harassed him endlessly. He knew better than to be too open with them.

"Young man, what's your name?" He suddenly asked, looking him up and down. The messy blue-black hair, the single golden eye peeking from beneath his bangs and the ragged state of his robe made Zhihao curious. The look felt familiar but surely...

"Xieren." He answered, looking away. The man's eyes were worrisome. It was dangerous in the same way other men's gaze could be but he still felt like prey.

"No Surname?" Xieren shook his head. "I see. That would explain a lot" He muttered, missing Xieren's confused look. "You really don't know a thing about women, do you?"

"W-women?" He echoed, completely put off balance by the sudden subject change.

"Yes, women. You know, females, ladies, the fairer sex?" He smirked, gesturing behind him to his shelf. "Do you want me to pull out my diagram, cause I have one rea-"

"No!" He shouted, much more bothered than he was used to. Blushing, he turned away. "I-I mean, I know what you mean but why bring this up-"

"I need you for a task that involves a woman but can't be done by a young girl like Xinyi."

"So you want me to do it?" He concluded, his eyes burning with suspicion but Zhihao paid it no mind.

"Indeed. You aren't doing anything else, are you?" He asked, knowing the answer already. Everyone on the grounds knew Master Shao was currently in seclusion. Zhihao knew because Zi Shuren was super pissy about it. He wanted to talk to Master Shao for whatever reason. He even went so far as to claim that the man was avoiding him.

 _Be careful, brother, or else someone might suspect something questionable about your moodiness._ He thought, thinking of Zi Shuren pouty face.

"No, but-"

"Then, please do this task for me." He interrupted, smiling jovially as if he wasn't dumping his chores onto him. "As thanks."

***

Xieren found himself back in town, this time the sun having set some time before and alone. Thought he couldn't help but be relieved that he was alone.

Women in suggestive outfits were everywhere. Bared shoulders and sultry looks surrounded him and the young man wasn't sure what to do. He'd been asked to look for someone but why in this kind of area?

Was this Elder Fangs way of teaching him about women? Cause surely there were better way than this?!

Wary, Xieren tried to keep out of sight, slipping into one of the alleyways. At least then, he could avoid the looks the women were giving him. They were clearly wondering why someone as young (looking) as him was doing in such a place.

He too wondered, considering how undignified it was for a cultivator to be in such a place. While he might not be a proper cultivator yet, he still represented the TianJian sect which is why he changed his clothes. It was a double sided sword too, since others might mistake him for a vagrant and try to harm him. With no formal training, he'd quickly be immobilized by anyone bigger.

"Move aside" A voice that tickled the young man's heart said, buried under the noise of the street. Xieren stopped, hearing noises coming from an alleway nearby. Instinct from years of being homeless told him it was best if he left it alone. Considering the area, it probably wasn't worth the trouble.

Despite that, his feet carried him forward, his heart racing with excitement. What he was excited about was a mystery to him but he wanted to get closer.

"Oi, baby, just give up." A man slurred out, sounding annoyed but excited. "It' be good if you just give in and let us get a good look at ya."

"We promise to be gentle." Another one laughed, coming into the young man's view. "We just wanna check and see if you are what you say you are."

Drawing close but keeping out of sight, Xieren looked over the scene. There were a handful of men, dressed raggedy and clearly drunk from how they wobbled on their feet. All of them were staring at single figure pressed against a wall.

At first, Xieren thought it was a women, considering the men's statement but soon changed his mind as he took a better look. Through the figures clothes were just as humble as the men surrounding them, he could see the masculine edges peeking from beneath the fabric. Broad shoulders and sharp angles graced his features. Though he couldn't be exactly sure since it was dark.

"Leave me be." He replied, his voice reminding the young man of days before, when he had chased after the owner of that voice. The man who smell wonderful and had his heart racing with excitement.

Just as he was about to get closer, the drunken men leapt forward to attack. They weren't formally trained, Xieren could tell. Their movements were clearly telegraphed and they often got in the way of the others movements. They weren't the polished and graceful strikes he had grown accustomed to in the sect.

Despite the lack of grace, they were more than enough to face a non-cultivator like the man pinned to the wall. For the first time in a long time, concern for another bloomed in Xieren's heart, making him want to rush forward and help. While he wasn't well verse in combat, since Shizun failed to train him properly, he did know how to fight a little from his time on the streets. Plus the few spells he knew would-

Just as he made up a strategy to help, the scene changed in a blink of an eye. The would-be victim had moved, taking two of his attackers down with precise and elegant strikes that had them curling on the floor in agony. They were sure to no rise again for a while.

Xieren watched with wonder as the opposing men fell one by one, Tankian's strikes as beautiful and graceful as a dancer inflaming the heart of his audience. The only thing was...

He fought quite... uniquely.

When one fought, it was rare to see someone so deliberately go for... sensitive areas but Tankian almost exclusively did so. His long legs would strike between the legs of his opponent and when he curled up in pain, he would knee him in the face. Not to mention all the dirt kicked into the eyes of those close and the strikes to the back of the knees.

(AN: Think the Jackie Chan method of fighting but slightly dirtier)

By the end, Tankian was standing in the middle of the alleyway, staring down at the fallen drunks around him. Panting, he relaxed somewhat, probably intending to leave soon. But from the wreckage, one man, the one who started it all, tried to sneak up behind him.

Seeing as Tankian clearly failed to notice the man, he moved to help. Summoning what little qi he had, he released a small flame from his palm. The spell was weak, really only strong enough to illuminate a small room at best but a flame was a flame. Hitting the man's back, he screamed out at the sudden heat, reaching around to put it out.

Before he could, Tankian roundhouse kicked him in the head, knocking him out and leaving the two alone.

Taking in the man before him, Xieren was a bit awed. He wasn't what he expected to see. Long black hair was pulled back into a ponytail, revealing most of his face though it didn't help any. His face was mostly obscured by a mask covering the lower half of his face. The little skin he saw was stained reddish brown, as if he'd been burned.

But the thing that drew his eye the most were his eyes. Bright and luminous eyes the color of figs but not nearly as appealing as his eyes. They were stoic and cold looking but Xieren kept staring, wanting to fall into them.

With slightly furrowed brows, Tankian turned away, mumbling something under his breath. He probably hadn't intended to be heard but Xieren's hearing was better than most so he definitely heard him mutter:

"Damn it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shixiong: A term used to address those who are above you as an apprentice. Kinda like a senior  
> Shidi: A term to adrress those younger or below you as an apprentice. Basically a junior.


	9. Keeping a child is hard

"Oh, Uncle Tankian, what are you doing here so late?" The young man before him asked, frowning a bit. He was a local and had given him a lot of advice on many things over the last week. As such, Liang Fei (or Tankian, as he'd introduced himself as) showed quite a bit of respect despite the difference in age.

"..." He shrugged, handing the young man the package with a nod. The young man, Chang was not surprised at the lack of a smile. He'd quickly learned that this old man never smiled or even changed his expression. Not even the stormiest seas could shift the stone that made up his face.

What did confuse him was Tankian's lack of greeting. Even if it was just a short word or two, Tankian always greeted him with something. Looking him over, he noted how stiff he seemed as opposed to his normal self.

"Oi, did somebody mess with you again?" The young man asked, scowling at the thought of this uncle being harassed. Despite his mask and scars, most could tell Tankian had a pretty face. The shape of his eyes and the smoothness of his skin spoke volumes on how well was raised.

Not that he was worried though. Tankian was a tough guy, taking out a dozen men at once with nothing but his bare fists and a club. Even so...

Liang Fei shook his head, trying to reassure Chang but hoping the conversation would end soon. He had... other things to attend to.

"Ne, big brother, are you almost done?" A voice called out, the very thing he had to attend to peeking out from behind some crates. Looking back at him, Liang Fei felt his heart tremble.

 _Aw, don't look at me like that!_ He thought, trying to harden his heart. _How can I chase you off if you look at me like a stray kitten!?_

About an hour ago, he'd been cornered by some drunks seeking to molest him. It wasn't the first time such a thing had happened since he started living in this town. Many showed an interest in him despite him doing everything he could to prevent that. Was he not ugly enough yet?

After taking them down, he was shocked to find someone familiar appear before him. The same kid from before, though dressed differently than the last two times. The fact that they kept bumping into each other was starting to worry him.

Not so much because of annoyance, since he adored having such a charmingly sweet face around. No, at this point, it was because he was going to ruin everything if he recognized him. If he was caught, what could possibly happen?!

His lack of knowledge made it hard to fill in the blanks but most likely it would be bad. He might get kicked out or dishonored. Just thinking about being lectured by sect leader Zi Shuren made him want to run. The man's eyes were weirdly intense.

Letting out a breath, he gestured for Xieren to sit elsewhere, so he could talk. The young man himself is the reason he hadn't said a word since cursing under his breath. He feared his voice might be recognized if nothing else.

"Oi, Uncle, is that kid the reason you've kept quiet?" Chang asked, watching Liang Fei's cold eyes slide back to him. Not wanting to be caught in them, he looked back to the kid. He looked young, perhaps 10 or 12 from the looks of it but hard to tell. He had the body of a street urchin but clearly well fed. Perhaps a servant?

Liang Fei nodded, glad for Chang understanding. He(LF) really hated being rude to him(C). The younger man had helped him a great deal when he first arrived in town, showing him around and teaching him how to get a job. Like him, Liang Fei had become a messenger, tasked with delivering items and notes for people around town. This allowed him to get a feel for his new body and learn a lot from the people around him.

And he made quite a bit of cash.

It wasn't a lot but it did give him something to rely on if things went south with the whole cultivation thing. He was a practical man so he had to think of contingency plans.

"Ne, uncle you want me to get rid of him?" Chang asked, staring at Xieren leaning against a nearby wall. He couldn't be sure but something about the kid put him on edge. Years of relying on his instincts told him that getting close would lead to trouble. Whether the kid was the source of the trouble or just attracted it, he couldn't be sure but he didn't want Tankian to get dragged into anything.

(AN: Ne~ Chang can sense a protagonist halo.)

"Don't." Liang Fei said, his tone cold and sharp. While he knew Chang had good intentions, he wasn't about to allow him to harm a child. Xieren might be a cog in his plan but he was still a child and adults don't harm children. They protect them.

"R-right, sorry..." He quickly said, not wanting to get the man mad. While he'd never seen Tankian lose his temper, the tension flowing from him had him affixed to the ground. "S-so about the package...?"

"...Dropped it." He muttered, looking away.

"Eh? How come-"

"Drunks broke it."

"Ah, I see." He replied, sighing in understanding. He, too knew how annoying it was when accident happened on a run. Clients rarely understood but a fellow messenger definitely could. "You know that means you might not get paid, right?"

"Un..." He nodded, looking the same as usual. Perhaps he wasn't upset? Or maybe he expected such a response. "Good night, Chang"

"Kay." He waved, watching Tankian walk away. The kid quickly followed after him, excitement sparking off him like a flare. Just as they turned a corner, Chang saw the kid turn to him.

Deep and heavy hatred flowed in those pale yellow eyes. Chang couldn't help but flinch, his heart stopping for a second as the two disappeared from sight.

Scary.

Those eyes, like a stray dog that found someone on its territory. Sometimes, it only takes a look to get a message across and that kids message was clear.

 _Try and keep me from this man..._  The rest didn't need to be said. Like a stray, he'd tear into the invader until someone either died or yielded.

"Aiya..." He sighed, thinking of the guileless Tankian so casually taking that kid with him. "I hope you'll be alright, Uncle."

***

Liang Fei strolled down the illuminated streets, ignorant of the danger close by. Now that they were in the marketplace, Liang Fei felt a lot more comfortable. He had no issue with women, since he preferred them, but seeing them in so little clothing was a bit embarrassing. Especially since they often stopped their flirting to chat with him.

Honestly, it was weird for them to shift from 'Ne~ Big brother, want to have a good time?' in a sultry voice to 'Hey, brother, long time no see!' in a casual tone. It was jarring to say the least. Perhaps they didn't see him as a man? That was disheartening.

"Big brother, are you alright?" Liang Fei looked down at the child next to him. A single gold eye stared up at him with curiosity. "You look sad."

Liang Fei's hand twitched, his desire to pet him having to be reined in. He shook his head, trying to reassure him though he remained silent.

"Oi, Tankian, over here!" Another person waved him over. It was a middle aged woman with a jovial air about her. "You busy right now?"

Nodding, he gestured to Xieren and moved on, hearing the woman say her farewells. As they continued walking, many people stopped them to talk to Liang Fei. While he was just a messenger, he went through the effort to get to know them as he worked. Their conversations gave him a better understanding on how the world worked. Just from the week and a half he'd been living in town, he learned about how money and trade works as well as some lofty people to steer clear of or befriend.

Despite his cold exterior, most found it easy to get along with Tankian. He was obedient and very understanding, listening to those whom others would write off as crazy or talkative. He'd even give advice if he felt he could.

After finally getting free from the crowd, Liang Fei and Xieren continued to walk, the child's eyes glowing with annoyance.

"Wow, big brother is so popular." He stated, thinking of all the smiles given to the stoic man. Part of him was envious of that though he was mostly annoyed too. He had wanted to talk to him alone and yet all those annoying people crowded around him. How bothersome.

Seeing Xieren pout, Liang Fei felt compelled to get him to smile. Such an adorable kid shouldn't be sad. With that in mind, he pulled out a coin and handed it to him.

"Would you like something to eat?" He asked, leaning over to they were face to face. He then pointed toward a food stand.

"For both of us?" He asked, happy to hear this man speaking to him. He'd been silent for a while and Xieren disliked it despite not being ignored. Receiving a nod, Xieren happily ran over to the stand, though he kept his eye on Tankian. He knew the man was trying to lose him.

As he ordered his food, his ears picked up the exchange going on behind him. Someone, a child, was crying. They sounded young. Turning around, he saw Tankian crouching down beside a fallen child with a scraped knee.

"Hey, now, don't cry." He said, his face remaining still and cold even as he tried to comfort the child. He moved to pet the child but seeing his cold eyes, the child cried even louder. Tankian remained frozen as the child's mother helped them up and apologized to him. She knew him and knew he was only trying to help but... his cold eyes were really scary, even to adults. A child? It was like being tossed in a chilling pond.

As she said her piece, Tankian remained silent. Others saw him regarding the situation with steady eyes and thought he brushed it off but Xieren could see the hurt in his eyes, the slight furrow of his brow as the toddler hid his face from him. Like he was some kind of monster.

"Here!" Liang Fei looked down to see a skewer in Xieren's hand. The young boy smiling up at him. "For big brother."

"Thank you." He muttered under his breath, feeling a bit touched at the gesture. He was used to be avoided due to his seemingly cold gaze. Few seemed to be able to look past it and those few meant the world to him but it still hurt to be looked at in such a way.

Seeing Tankian's eyes shimmer with happiness at his gesture filled Xieren with excitement. Never had he felt such content in giving another person comfort or happiness. The only thing that would make it better would be... being petted.

Xieren eagerly waited to be petted, wanting that gesture for himself.  _Pet me, pet me!!_  He mentally begged, looking up at Tankian with expectant eyes.

Liang Fei, seeing this expectation, wasn't sure what to do. The child looked to be expecting something but he wasn't sure what. Giving the skewer a look, he took a bite and gave a affirmative grunt, hoping to assure him that the food was good. He then turned to move on, leaving Xieren behind to pout.

 _My pat~_  He complained bitterly in his heart.

***

"This is... big brother home?" Xieren, staring up at the tree house before him. He hadn't expected that this man would leave outside town or in a tree but it did make sense. Tree houses were more easily defendable and had other advantages. He had just never actually seen one before.

Liang Fei nodded, offering a hand to Xieren. After a second of hesitation, the child took it and soon found himself flying through the air. Crying out in surprise, Xieren clung to Liang Fei, even though the experience only lasted a second or two. When he finally opened his eyes, they were both in tree house.

Liang Fei had wanted to explain that to protect his small temporary home from day-to-day robberies, he'd designed the place to have no means of entering other than by jumping up the tree. There was no ladder or rope and the tree was too slick from moss to climb. As such, only a cultivator like himself could enter.

As for taking Xieren in, it was a matter of principal. He wasn't sure why he was in town so late nor why he was alone but Liang Fei couldn't allow a child to wander about town by himself. What if he got hurt or some unsavory people tried to snatch him up? Thinking back to when he'd first met the boy, he knew he wasn't strong. Compared to other disciples, he was barely anything. It made him wonder what the original Liang Fei, who was supposedly his master, had done in terms of training.

"Thanks for allowing me to spend the night, big brother." Xieren said, wanting to get Tankian's attention. He wasn't sure what the man was thinking but something told him it was not the present. Especially when he began to hum to himself.

The melody was unfamiliar, sounding strange to his ears but Xieren definitely liked it. Not so much the melody itself but the sound of the one humming it. Even though it was clearly a different melody, it gave him the same feeling as when Tankian sung him to sleep. Warm and safe.

Liang Fei who had been clearing up space for Xieren, turned to him and nodded, unaware of his habit nor how it drew Xieren to him more with every note. He made some space so they could sit and relax. Xieren, happy to see Tankian pay attention to him, gleefully sat across from him, basking in his gaze.

"Ne, Big brother, about the way you fight..." He started, his eyes glowing with curiosity. Inwardly, Liang Fei cringed, wishing to everything holy and good he wouldn't ask- "Where did you learn to fight like that?"

_Damn it!_

Liang Fei knew his looks and demeanor made people think he wasn't the violent type and he really wasn't. If he had to option, he wouldn't fight ever since it was hard and not very fulfilling since it lead to more fights but he did fight and when he did, he fought dirty. And this was all because of his best friend.

That bastard slut made it a habit to sleep around with other men's girlfriends (though the girls at the time always claimed they were single) and had to defend himself from ambushes from jealous boyfriends from preschool to college. And because they were best friends, Liang Fei was often around during these ambushes.

Needless to say, the first time, he got the shit kicked out of him. But after many times, he learned to fight and in order to beat those stronger than him (most everyone), he learned to fight dirty. Nut shots and misdirection was his go to method of winning. Who cared if their future generations might never come? If you were going to attack someone cause your girlfriend was unfaithful, be wary that the collateral damage (LF) might harm more than your pride.

"That is..." He mumbled before stopping himself. He couldn't speak, lest he be discovered. He'd worked hard to prevent his identity from being discovered and he wasn't about to blow it. His disguise was testament to that.

Initially he wanted to just cover his face with his bangs but they weren't long enough and apparently walking around with bangs covering ones face was considered creepy so he didn't get far before being chased out. Then he wore the mask, deciding to go the traditional route but people kept getting curious about it. Eventually, he had to make up some story about having horrible burns and had to borrow makeup from the sect (He had no clue why the sect had makeup to begin with) to fool them.

Seeing Tankian once again drift off, Xieren pouted, disliking that he was being ignored. "Big brother, why won't you talk to me?" He asked, regaining his attention. "Do you dislike me? Is that it?"

"No, I-!" He started before biting his tongue. He curse his own choices. He'd cornered himself and now it was biting him in the ass. He very much wanted to talk, since there were few instances to exchange thoughts with cultivators without revealing himself. Then it hit him.

"Ah!" He said, earning a frown from Xieren. He took out a piece if parchment and quickly jotted down a note.

 **-What's your name?-** He wrote, happy to have thought of a solution. Writing everything was a bit of a hassle but he liked writing and he rarely spoke anyway. Except-

"I'm sorry but what does that say?" He asked, frowning in confusion. Why was he writing things out?

"You can't read?" Liang Fei was now deeply concerned about this child. He was well past the age that illiteracy could be easily solved, at least in his mind. Learning now would take time and work... "No, its fine. I'll teach you."

"Teach me?" He echoed, buzzing with joy at all the words directed his way. Liang Fei nodded, pulling out another parchment to write on. How else could he write out his conversations if the child couldn't even read?

(AN: Ne, LF isn't really thinking this trough completely..)

"Name?"

"Xieren!" He answered, wanting to hear big brother call him. The more he spoke, the happier he became.

At long last, Liang Fei learned the child's name. It was nice though he felt it might be familiar. Frowning, he recalled that he was in a novel, right? Was he the Xiao-Ren his sister had talked so fervently about?

Looking at the chubby cheeked child that inquiringly tried to read the simple characters on the paper with a cute pout, he couldn't even imagine it. It's not like Xieren was the only -ren in the world. The Xiao-Ren that Mei ranted about was cold, cruel and vicious, the man who would ruthlessly and endlessly torment him, Shao Liang Fei, until death was a mercy. This adorable thing before him could never grow up to be so black hearted.

"Let's start with your name then."

***

Xieren excitedly jumped out of bed, wanting to head out as soon as possible. Over the last 2 weeks, he'd been visiting the village nearby to spend time with his big brother, Tankian.

While the man was generally remained silent whenever they didn't have lessons, Xieren had learned to sneak around to get a feel for him. Even now, his voice was something he was slowly coming to adore, especially when he started singing to himself.

It was usually whenever he was working on something that his habit would kick in. Something told him that big brother was just used to listening to a melody while he was working so he hummed. Xieren wanted to help so he had asked Xinyi for a favor.

"Me? Yes, I know how to play a flute." She said, frowning into her tea. The two of them were sitting out in a field eating breakfast. Due to being harassed by her admirers, they'd chosen to eat away from everyone else. "Why?"

"I want to learn to play for someone." He replied, feeling excited. He couldn't wait to surprise big brother with his skills. The one great thing about being so disliked in the sect was that no one really noticed him coming and going, though he still had to sneak past three guards who would stop him on principal. Xinyi was the only one to notice his absence.

"Really? I didn't know you had anyone you'd work hard for." She said, pouting sadly. "Is it that person from before?"

For a second, he hesitated, not wanting to share his time with big brother with anyone but another part of him wanted to tell her everything. He wanted to share his joy with her. He wanted to tell her about Tankian.

At first, his interest in Tankian was based solely on figuring him out and his nice smell. His scent was still a pleasant mystery but as they spent more time together, he no longer felt the need to ask why he helped him.

Watching him talk and interact with others showed that he a surprisingly soft hearted person. Whenever someone was in need, he'd jump forward and help, his eyes glowing with happiness when others showed their appreciation.

Xieren nodded, his face a little red. Xinyi, seeing this got more curious.

"Is he nice?" She asked, watching him munch on his breakfast. She had never seen him so excited at the prospect of interacting with another person.

"Un, he's really nice." He replied, happy to have someone to talk to about this. It had been so long since he last spoke with Xinyi. "He's even teaching me to read."

"Eh? You couldn't before?" She frowned. "How have you been doing any of the lessons?" While Xieren was a disciple of Master Shao, he did still have to take lessons. If he didn't know how to read, then how could he get anything done.

"I know a little." He admitted, looking away. He knew lying was bad but he disliked the notion of allowing big brother to address him through written word alone. He wouldn't allow that. Not when his voice was so nice.

"So you lied. How like you." She teased, chuckling. She was glad to talk to him again. While she had been sad for a few days, she had learned to accept him, since he still chose to remain by her side. "Are you heading down now?"

"No, I still have some things to do first." He replied, pouting. While he wished he could spend all his time with big brother, Elder Zhihao still gave him tasks to do. They were mostly just delivering notes to the ladies and bring back what they gave him. He didn't get it but big brother had issues with him walking around by himself so he did the exchange himself. Apparently he was friends with those ladies.

"T-then perhaps we can do something together then? We can play!" She offered innocently, her eyes glowing with delight at the thought of spending time with Xieren. Xieren, on the other hand, couldn't help but want to toss himself from a mountain to make up for this girl's naivety.

"Please," He started, covering his face with shame. "Please think about who could be around when you say things like that."

"Eh? Did I say something wrong?" She asked confused. She'd heard her master say similar things to the sect leader so she thought it was a normal thing. Then again, Master Shuren did always refuse so maybe it wasn't what she thought?

"...No, I suppose not but..." He sighed, very much sure she was not going to get it. Really, why was he, a young man picked up off the streets more aware of the boundary between men and women than a young girl herself. Then again, it was big brother who taught him that boundary. "Nevermind. What kind of 'play' did you have in mind."

"Perhaps something men do?" She suggested, her smile seemingly more jovial than before. "I heard men bond when they go to certain places together."

 _What kind of places are these!?_ He thought, a bit concerned at where this could be going.

"Even if we could, us," He gestured between the two of them. "Going together is bound to make others question our relationship with one another. I still get looks for admirers of yours as if I was about to steal their daughter from their household."

"You couldn't do that!" She laughed, amused by Xieren's pout following her statement. What was that about 'couldn't' rather than wouldn't? She could guess what was bouncing around in his mind. "Brother is too small to steal me away, let alone carry me out bridal style."

"Who said anything about bridal style?!" He cried, wanting ro defend himself but knowing that she wasn't wrong. "Moreover, don't speak such nonsense. I would carry you over my shoulder not in my arms." He insisted.

"No no, you can't do that!" She retorted, looking concerned. "If you try it that way, my feet will just drag across the ground. Don't bring harm to yourself (his dignity)like that, Brother Xieren."

"I'm not that short!" He cried, knowing she right about his height. Still to just point it out like that!

"You're shorter than me." She pointed out, cocking a brow.

"Not by much!"

"Still..."

"Anyway!" Xieren grumbled, displeased at how this conversation was going. This was not how he intended for things to go. He had to clear things up. "Even if we did hang out, it'd be bad for us to be seen together in such a place."

"Such a place?" She echoed, looking around as her mind clearly wandered. "Then perhaps I can disguise myself as a man! Then we could-"

"No way." He flatly refused.

"Eh? Why not!?" She pouted, leaning forward onto the table. As she did so her... rather generous chest pressed against her robes, showing off just how much was there.

While Xieren had no interest in her as a woman, as a male, he couldn't help but notice. But he was a gentleman so it was only after a full 10 seconds of staring that he looked away.

"You... You can't hide those... Please don't make me explain!" He cried, hiding his face in his arms. Why was this happening!? How did the conversation go from learning to play the flute to him talking about her breasts?! WHY?!?!?!

"Sorry." She said, her tone faltering as she saw her companion's expression. "I just... I wanted to spend time with you." Xieren looked up, confused at the sudden turn. "I thought perhaps if I was a man... maybe then we could get close enough that you might..."

"Might...?"

"That... you might consider me a friend." She whispered, curling into a ball to hide her reddening face. Xieren stared at her with confusion, thinking back to his words from before.

"Is that what you've been upset about all this time?" He stared at her, shocked beyond belief. Had his casual words really hit her so hard? Why? It had nothing to do with her. "Why do you care?" He asked, honestly confused.

"Because to me, you are my friend." She proclaimed, taking his hand in hers. "We eat and talk and have fun together. You listen to me when anyone else would take advantage of me in someway. You are nice to me. I just thought that... perhaps you felt that way about me but..."

"Eh? Of course I do." He replied, still confused. "Out of all the bastards in the sect, you are about the only person who is decent to me. You don't look at me with disdain or pity. How could I dislike you?"

"But you said-"

"Yeah, I have no friends. Friends can betray me and stab me in the back." He stated, his eyes cold and hollow. "They are the ones I dislike. If that is the kind of friend you speak of, then I have none and want none. But you're different, Xinyi."

"T-truly?" She stammered, tears beading up in her eyes.

"Of course." He replied. "You are not my friend but you are someone I feel I can trust just a little bit."

The young woman stared at her companion, hearing him speak and letting the feeling of relief wash over her. Part of her was a bit shocked that all this drama was just due to her friends definition of a friend being someone who was assumed to betray another but then again, this was Xieren. He was, by nature, a wary person. This much she knew. If it was him, this would be his reasoning for saying he had no friends.

In that regard, she couldn't help but be happy for herself. To get as far as she had, it had taken months of pestering and one sided conversations to get him to even sit at the same table as her. Now he at least saw her as someone he could trust.

***

Xieren strolled through town, his heart racing with excitement. So far, today had been a good day. He'd made up with Xinyi and he got started on his flute lessons, though he was very bad at it. Still, he hoped he'd quickly improve so he could play for big brother.

"Ah, Tankian baby bro!?" A voice called out to him, drawing his attention. It was the middle aged jovial woman. Smiling, she waved him over. "How are you doing today?"

Fine." He grumbled, not wanting to talk to her but forcing himself to anyway. As he spent time in the village, people started to assume he was Tankian's brother, since he stuck close by the man. Xieren had no issue with this, since it made him the closest to big brother by default. No one but him knew about his habit of humming to himself. Thinking of that, a smile bloomed on his face.

"Aw, there's that cute smile." The women cooed, enjoying the sight. Really, after a long day of work, one needed a cute thing to brighten ones day. "If you're looking for your brother, he's still out working but you might catch him in the square."

"Thank you, auntie!" He said, happy at the thought of seeing big brother again. While he might not like the people who lurked around him, they were fine when they didn't distract big brother from him.

Running to the square, he noticed a large gathering before him. Frowning, he pushed his way through, hearing loud but muffled voices from the center. One of which sounded like-

"Big brother!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uncle/brother: To denote a familiarity despite no familial relationship. It's kinda like calling someone your bro despite them only being a close friend. Uncle for those older and brother for those close in age.


	10. I can't hate you

"Oi, how dare you mess with this He Qiang, eh?!"

Liang Fei, like everyone else on the street, had turned to see what the commotion was. Since he was taller than most, he could see that there was a young man standing up tall and noble with a bunch of other similarly noble looking people. Yet their behavior was anything but.

Anyone else would have turned their gaze away, choosing to let the matter be settled among those involved but Liang Fei was not like that. Not when it was a group of people against one lone person.

And that person was a dear friend of his, An Li.

An Li was a courtesan that he had met with a few times while working. An Li was one of the few male courtesans there and was generally mistreated due to customers apparently feeling wronged for being 'mislead'. Liang Fei had helped him with a particularly unhappy customer and the young man had yet to let it go. Even as he frequently told him he needed no reward, An Li kept trying to repay him.

It was a bit bothersome but he was a nice guy who helped him a number of times. As such, Liang Fei was not about to let him get bullied.

"Please state your business with Xiao Li." He called out, gaining the attention of everyone around, though most weren't surprised. Their family's Tankian was the type to come and assist if the need arises. But these trouble makers were...

"Us? How about you start with your own introduction before making demands from us." One of the young men demanded, cocking a brow as he brazenly showed off his robes. They were vibrant gold and white, emblazoned with a single white flower. They were clearly cultivators though Liang Fei wasn't sure what sect.

"You go around, making a scene in the middle of town and even talk down to an elder, yet expect courtesy?" He countered, his tone relaxed but provocative. His cold eyes cut through the air, making the young men shiver. The so called noble air they put out now felt stagnant when compared to Liang Fei. Even dressed in robes of fine fabric and obvious power, they still fell short of the natural elegance Liang Fei exuded by pure instinct.

"You..." They began, jealous of that inborn grace, only to be interrupted by the man before them.

"How very brazen of you. I wonder what your Master would say seeing you act this way while proudly displaying your colors." The youths flinched, unable to reply to such words, since the truth of them rang as clear as a bell. Still, pride kept them from backing down.

"Hey, how about you mind your own business and leave us be, Uncle?" A youth suggested glaring up at him. He said youth but the man looked to be at least in his 20's. Had Liang Fei been in his own body, they might even be considered close in age. He was standing beside another young man who smiled serenely though to Liang Fei, he looked very snake like.

"I should leave you noble and upright immortals to harass a young man?" He replied, curious about this new face. He was different than the other hot headed youth who shouted and raved like dogs. "Am I so heartless?"

"Never, dear sir," He said, his smile never reaching his eyes but serene in their temperance. "but knowing nothing of our affair with said young man would make one quite discourteous." He stated, putting Liang Fei on the spot. The person in questions was just shocked by how brazen this kid spoke while trying to be respectful.

"You who bring your 'issues' into the town square has made it a public necessity to interfere." He pointed out, standing firm. "If you wanted privacy, perhaps you should have taken the matter elsewhere."

"Then forgive us for causing a scene." He said, his smile never faltering for a second. "Then please allow us to rectify the situation ourselves, dear elder." He said, taking a step toward An Li, who flinched and turned his pleading eyes to Liang Fei. While he had yet to look at the young man, he knew the boy had been roughed up just a bit.

"State your concern with Xiao Li." He stated, stepping between the smiling youth and An Li.

"It's a private matter, Elder." He replied, his eye twitching just a bit at his audacity. Liang Fei was unfazed.

"..."

"You won't allow us to pass judgement on him?"

"..."

"Then please excuse this junior for forcing the matter." He said, his smile never leaving as he moved to rush past Liang Fei, convinced he could bypass the mortal. And surely this man was a mortal, brazen as he was, for he couldn't sense qi radiating from or around him. While the young man was not that high in rank, he was surely capable of getting past some random villager.

As his hand reached out to grab the offensive young man, a loud sound rang out and pain raced through him. Instinct had him jumping away, landing on a rooftop, clutching his arm. His younger disciple brothers, not knowing what had occured, looked around to spot what had attacked their Shixiong. Nothing was apparent other than the fact that the mortal now held a long stick wrapped in cloth.

It was hard to make out a shape but the way it was held, they assumed it was either a club or a sword. But surely it wasn't the latter, for why would a mortal dare brandish a sword toward an cultivator, even ones as low ranked as themselves.

Meanwhile, the young smiling man on the roof, remained still trying to fight the pain in his wrist. This pain, he knew it well but to be treated like that... in front of his Shidi, no less. This was beyond insulting.

"Who are you!?" He roared, quickly losing his facade of pleasant indifference. "You are no mortal."

As this all occurred, Liang Fei remained quiet as he stared down at his sword.

 _Oh, now you wish to cooperate with me?_ He thought, curious about the change.

Since he'd come to this world, the sword in his hand had been nothing but a burden. It clung to his side despite never yielding to him. He couldn't even pull it out of it's sheath so he ended up having to wrap it up to remain inconspicuous. He rarely used it as anything more than a convenient crowbar or a hammer.

Yet now, it allowed him to use it, if to nothing more than to smack the wrist of that smiling young man. Part of him wondered if the child (all people younger than the current him as children in his mind) was alright with being struck with a sword but he was a cultivator so perhaps he could take just a bit more.

(AN: Honestly, I'm tempted to name this thing 'El Kabong' with how often LF will use this thing as anything other than a sword.)

Keeping this in mind, Liang Fei considered his next move, effectively ignoring the young man as he tried to shout him down. When the young man saw that this daring mortal hadn't even bothered to look at him, his fury rose like a flame.

"You dishonor me then ignore me?" He shouted, jumping down and brandishing an aura of maliciousness. While no one outside the conflict was a cultivator, they could feel the change in the air. They felt like their blood was frozen in their veins and not a muscle could be moved. All save for one.

"Brother, watch out!" Xieren cried, running to alert the older man whose thoughts had long since drifted from the present. While Xieren knew brother was absent minded, he hoped that perhaps he'd hear his warning and move. Just as he reached him, the opposing cultivator had reached them, about the attack with a qi attack.

Scared, Xieren buried his head in Tankian's chest, wishing he was strong enough to move the man out of the way. If he was just a bit-

Air rushed from him as he was lifted onto Tankian's shoulder and the world shifted greatly. His vision was blurred but he could hear a loud slap followed by a cry of pain. When the world righted itself, Xieren looked around, seeing only a boy older than him staring up at him.

Was this who brother was saving? He wondered, scowling at his fancy clothes and pretty face with resentment. Ugly bastard.

"You..." A voice growled, bringing Xieren back to the present. Twisting around, he looked to see the young man who had challenged him before on the ground on his hands and knees. His hateful glare was enough that had he the power, the whole town would have been set ablaze. Instead, his glare was countered by another's cold stare.

"You do not attack others when their back is turned." Liang Fei stated, his tone brooking no argument and making those who heard that quiet statement shiver. The harshest winters were nothing compared the the winds brought forth by those few words alone. "You lot are no different than lowly bandits."

Before another word could be spoken, he turned his back on them. Effectively dismissing them with that, Liang Fei adjusted Xieren in his arms so he could easily stand on his own. Despite all the drama, his expression was calm and still, making others feel at ease and dismissive as well. Soon the crowd dispersed, as if the spell drawing their attention had faded with merely a wave of Liang Fei's hand.

The group of cultivators, not wanting to lose any more face than they already have dragged their companion away. While they tried to salvage what little pride they had left, they swore in their hearts that the matter would not end here. That brazen man, clearly a cultivator hiding among mortals, would not be the winner. They would get revenge somehow.

Liang Fei, seeing the youths run off and glare back at him, could figure out mostly what was going through their heads. He was only slightly concerned about the matter but really, how was it his fault. They went around and caused trouble yet acted wronged? What kind of brains did they have? Were they rotted from all that training? Surely they were smarter than this.

If Liang Fei was more familiar with stallion novels, he might have noted how consistently dumb some cannon fodder were when in the proximity of the protagonist. Cunning and clever people had their IQ do a free fall whenever in his presence.

Then again, these people seemed to just be plain stupid. Perhaps being in the protagonists presence just made it more noticeable.

Said protagonist was currently holding Liang Fei tightly, rubbing his face into his clothes. Why? Because he smelled nice.

That mysterious brother Tankian smell was stronger the closer he got and he wanted to bask in its proximity before the older man pushed him away.

Liang Fei, on the other hand, was staring at the action, inwardly losing his mind at how cute the sight was. It reminded him of how kittens and cats would rub up against his leg when wanting his attention. It was the most adorable thing ever!!

An Li, seeing Liang Fei's eyes bore into the kids skull, grew concerned and spoke, wanting to save the child from his friends reprisal. Clearly, the man was not pleased by his proximity.

"H-hey now, how about we get out of here?" He suggested, grabbing Xieren's shoulders to pull him away. His eyes were pinned on Liang Fei, so he missed the death glare from Xieren, who wanted to bite the hands that drew him away from his favorite person.

 _Bastard!_ The thought roared in his mind, waiting on the tip of his tongue to be spoken but he stopped himself. Brother wouldn't like it if he bit this weird ugly guy.

Watching the two, Liang Fei nodded, wanting to talk things over with An Li. He was concerned. There should be no reason for him to have been in trouble with Cultivators.

***

"I'm back!" An Li called out, walking into the room with a tray of tea and snacks. When he didn't get a response, he turned to see the two engaged in something or other. Walking closer, he saw the two writing as Liang Fei spoke quietly.

"Not like that." He said, taking Xieren's hand and moving it. "Like this."

"Alright." The boy beamed, liking the proximity. The nice brother smell was all over.

(AN: Xieren is very kitty like in his affection. Watch how he ends up bringing dead birds to his doorstep.)

"Is this what you guys do?" An Li asked, setting the tray down. "Write?"

"Big brother is teaching me to read and write." Xieren stated, his tone haughty and catty, leaning on Liang Fei shamelessly. Had Liang Fei not been there, he would have stuck his tongue out. "So if uncle would- Eek!"

"Be good." Liang Fei gently scolded, taking the tea in hand. "Thank you."

"Yes, big brother...." The boy mumbled, pouting as he rubbed his hand. He had just been playing around a bit. There was no reason to pinch him like that.

"What a cute kid." An Li marveled, his eyes glowing at the sight. He so rarely got to see cute things so even this little brat was a welcome reprieve.

"I'm not cute!" He denied, scowling at the older man. He very much disliked being called cute. He was a boy and boys aren't supposed to be cute.

He was practically a man already so his manly pride wouldn't allow for such-

"You are though." Liang Fei stated, taking a sip of tea. He hadn't really meant to speak the words out loud. His thoughts usually stayed thoughts but this one was just too strong to not be said.

"I am?!" Xieren turned to Liang Fei, his manly pride ruthlessly tossed aside. Did big brother think he was cute? Part of him still disliked being called cute but another part was positively giddy at the complement sent his way. "Brother likes cute things?"

"Everyone likes cute things." An Li answered, a bit sad that the kid seemed to be ignoring him. Was he disliked? He quickly got his answer when said child glared daggers at him.

"No one asked you..." He retorted, only to receive a flit to the forehead. "Ow!"

"Behave, Xieren." He scolded, giving the child a chiding look. Xieren wilted, curling in on himself.

"Sorry..." He muttered contritely. An Li looked on in amazement.

"As long as you understand." Liang Fei, satisfied that he had given him some guidance, excused himself. He had to get away for a bit. All alone with the kid, An Li felt the need ti air his grievances.

"Seriously?" He questioned, scowling at the now glaring child in front of him. "Uncle Tankian gets the cute act and I get sour face you? How is that fair?"

"Cause I like big brother." He stated brazenly, not hiding his distain for the young man.

"But not me." He didn't bother to ask it since it was obvious what the answer was.

"Never."

"How come?"

"..." Xieren said nothing, not because he didn't want to but because he was honestly not that sure. Part of him was still wary of big brother, as he was with most people, since the man was so mysterious and strange. His strength and abilities were very much that of a cultivator but he wore none of the robes of any sect. He rarely spoke in front of him and kept his face hidden, even after all this time. Everything about him screamed 'not to be trusted'.

Yet Xieren still went to visit him every day he could. He still smiled at him when not even Xinyi could get a smile out of him. There was just a something he liked about big brother. Perhaps it was just instinct but he felt that the man wouldn't harm him.

His instincts had yet to lead him astray so perhaps it was best to trust it.

"Is it cause me and uncle are close?" An Li continued, earning a heavy glare from the child. An Li, as experienced as he was, was only slightly put off by the look. It was scary but coming from a child, it was a lot less so. "No need to get all sour faced, little one. I doubt I could take him from you. He likes you too much."

His words, casually as they were, remained stuck in his head, circling about in mind as the young man continued to speak. Whatever was said was lost to time, with no one but the speaker hearing them. Who knows what important words were said then but even if they were the secret to the universe, nothing could grab him like those simple words.

_He likes you too..._

Xieren was over the moon at the thought of being liked by brother Tankian. He was very cold and quiet, rarely talking to him and touching him even less. He still hadn't gotten that head pat despite how well behaved he was.

"Xieren!" Xieren jumped, hearing his name being called by his favorite person. He was standing by the door. "Come with me."

With no hesitation, the young boy jumped to his feet and ran to meet him, smiling happily at the man. Said man had to harden his heart to resist the urge to pet him. He was so cute!!

"Where are we going?"

"Bath"

"Eh? These places have baths?" He asked, thinking of the few times he'd seen a bath. At the sect, only the masters had exclusive baths. The disciples had wells to draw water from and rivers when the weather allowed for it. Xieren, disliked as he was, didn't have a lot of opportunities to bathe since other liked to harass him more often than not.

"W-wait, do I smell?!" He suddenly realized, twisting around to smell himself. He couldn't smell anything but perhaps he'd just gotten used to it? "B-brother?"

Liang Fei looked away, not wanting the distress the boy any further. Such words didn't need to be said.

***

He really did smell bad.

Xieren, as soon as he removed his humble robes, noticed the smell and immediately wanted to curl up and die. Had he smelled this bad when he was leaning on brother? Was this why he had turned away so many times?

Seeing the child curled up as he was, Liang Fei couldn't help but feel a bit of pity.

He definitely noticed the smell.

He hadn't wanted to say anything in front of An Li nor could he bring it up during their lesson but it had to be resolved. Hygiene was important.

"Do you plan on remaining there?" He asked after watching him remain in place for a full minute. Was he that self conscious?

The bright red little bun remained crouched on the ground, embarrassed beyond belief. Please don't ask him to move!!

Sighing, Liang Fei lifted the child into the air and tossed him into the tub. As expected, he was very light. Perhaps he should get him more food. The boy barely weighed anything. As he thought this, said child had broke the surface of the water, coughing up water.

"Brother!" He cried out, carefully wiping the water from his face without disturbing his bangs.  "Why-"

"Was I to wait for you?"

"B-but..."

"You won't smell any better staying in one spot."

"Ah~ Don't say it like that!" He begged, his face red as a tomato.

"Like what? That you stink?" He said, mercilessly continuing to bring it up. "But you do."

(AN: LF really won't let this go.)

Xieren sank into the fragrant water, blowing petulant bubbles at the man. Really, big brother was too cruel, bringing this up so many times. How could he-

His thoughts were interrupted by a flood of water pour over his head.

I haven't put anything to wash your hair yet." He said, confused as to why he was covering his eyes.

"You can't see them!

Can't see what?

"...My eyes." He whispered, just barely heard by the man kneeling nearby. Liang Fei frowned, confused. When he thought about it, he did recall that Xieren had knocked his hand away when they'd first met. It had been when he tried to lift his bangs. Was he embarrassed?

"Eyes can't smell bad, you know." He stated, wanting to assure the child.

"I know that!" He retorted, a bit annoyed but mostly nervous. "I...I just don't want big brother to hate me."

"I'll hate you after seeing your eyes?" He asked, more confused than ever. Why would something like that make him hate him?

"S-so, I'll just-"

"I won't hate you." 

"Eh?"

"I can't hate you really." He clarified, petting Xieren gently. As he thought, his hair was soft and smooth. Really, it was super soft. "So relax. I won't push you."

Xieren, his heart in turmoil, looked up at him with his gold eye, peeking through his fingers. He was truly scared of being disliked. Everyone who saw his eyes turned their back on him. Perhaps even his own parents.

He liked big brother more than others but he refused to risk having him hate him. Tears nearly spilling from his eyes, he mumbled the words.

"P-promise?"

Liang Fei wasn't sure what he was asking, whether it was that he wouldn't hate him or if he wouldn't push him on the eye thing but either way, the answer was the same.

"Yes, I promise." He assured, petting him again. He seemed to really like that. "Turn around."

"Eh?"

"I'll help clean up so you don't smell anymore."

Big brother really is too mean...


	11. Clarity

The two spent the next half hour in silence, neither wanting to talk about anything in particular. That and having a conversation while having ones hair washed was hard.

Xieren was content to just relax, keeping his eyes closed as he let brother's fingers run through his hair. It wasn't exactly a head pat but it might just be better. The feeling a fuzziness rushing through him was a million times better than he could imagine.

All the while, brother hummed to himself, this time a new melody. It was still weird, sounding as if he was trying to make up for other instruments by himself. The image of brother trying to play multiple instruments at once brought a smile to his face.

All too soon, their time came to an end. Another volley of water rushed over his head.

"There." Liang Fei sighed, sitting back. "You don't need me after this, correct?"

"No, but..." The child pouted with his back turned.

"But?"

"You... you aren't going to leave me here, right?" He asked, not really concerned that he'd be left behind. Big brother never left him alone, treating him like child. Really, he was the only one he'd known to treat him like one so he felt a bit reluctant to part with him. He really just wanted to act a bit spoiled and extend their time just a little.

"Xiao Li and the others wouldn't dare harm you since you are with me but no, I won't leave you." He assured Xieren, his eyes darting toward the door. "I just need to talk to Xiao Li about something."

He'd been waiting for a chance to talk to the man about the confrontation in the square. Something told him it was important.

In terms of plot, things seemed to be going smoothly. He couldn't be sure how in line with the plot he was but this event didn't seem random. Especially with the letters he'd left for An Li.

Meanwhile, Xieren's face had turned extremely sour, black as coal as he listened to Liang Fei speak.

Xiao Li... and others, he spoke of so affectionately. But with him... he remained the most distant.

"Does big brother hate me?" He grumbled, glaring at the far wall.

"Did we not discuss this already?" He sighed, a bit impatient.

"Yes but-"

"But?"

"Won't you call me Xiao Ren?" He asked, dunking his face half way into the water. He really wanted to be closer to brother. He's kind to everyone, calling out to them with affection and intimacy.

(AN: With the eyes of a dead fish but yeah, affection.)

To be the only one spoken about so distantly... But his hopes were dashed.

"No." He said, his tone cold and firm. Xieren shivered despite the warm water. Had he pressed him too hard? Fear of seeing those cold eyes made him sink into the water.

Silence fell between them, both of them in their own minds. After a minute, Liang Fei stood up.

"I'll leave you to your bath." He said, his tone as calm as ever but something else seemed to brew under the surface. "Don't stay in too long."

"Un" He nodded, though he was sure the man couldn't see it. "Sorry..."

Neither asked why the apology was said. They both knew. It's just...

It was a bit of a misunderstanding.

"I'm not mad at you, so there's no need to apologize." He sighed, feeling a bit put out. He had said unnecessary things. With that, the door was shut, sounding louder in the tense room.

***

Sometimes later, Liang Fei was found resting his forehead on a wall. An Li stared at him, confused but curious to see how things would go.

He had come to ask if Tankian wanted some snack and found the stoic man staring into space before slamming his head into the wall. Part of him was concerned since the sound traveled quite far but a larger part was amused by the action.

It was such a... human thing to do, An Li was a bit surprised.

Tankian was cold and calm, rarely put out of sorts. If not for his gentle touch, one might think he was a doll. He was attractive enough.

Long black hair brushing his smooth immaculate skin, framing a pair of violet eyes that drew you in and refused to let go. If not for that frustrating mask, the world would marvel at a beauty that surpassed goddesses.

Thinking of how handsome Tankian must be, An Li failed to notice that said man had become aware of his presence. He was generally unaware of other people but the longer he lived as a cultivator, the better his senses became.

His senses were only one sided though.

He still lacked the most essential sense of all. The one that made social interaction easy for some and a nightmare for others.

Common sense.

Really, he should have been more clear with Xieren. Saying that so bluntly, he might have hurt the kid's feelings. He really hadn't meant to be so harsh about it. He just really didn't want to call him that.

It just reminded him of how bad things were.

Part of him had accepted the reality of his situation. That home was a long ways away, if it was even an option. With so many blind spots, he felt an unending sense of fear at the notion that one wrong move and he could wind up dead.

This time, with no second chance.

To call Xieren that would be affirming that despite all his work, he still had no clear plan on how to survive. He couldn't just run away, that would cause a panic and probably a whole lot more trouble. But remaining ignorant of even the basics was worse.

He had to resolve things so he can finally get on the path of not dying in a horrible terrifying way.

With a calming breath, he swept up An Li, who gasped and clung to him as they walked back to the main room. As one of the brothels top earners, An Li had certain privileges. One such privilege was a private room.

With a calm kind of impatience, Liang Fei dumped An Li onto the cushion, elegantly landing in his own spot.

"Explain." He said as he sat down, not wanting to waste time. If allowed to, An Li's professionalism would have him talking for hours but revealing nothing. It kind of scared him when he saw how effective these people (The courtesans) were at extracting words from customers.

Were they paid by the minute or something?

"Explain? Whatever do you mean, Uncle?" The young man replied, his sweet but fake smile evident.

"An Li." Liang Fei gave him a look. A look that screamed 'don't waste my time.' The young man pouted, slouching back.

"Aw, how come it never works on you, Uncle!?" He complained.

"You aren't the first to try and sway me with a look." He replied, relaxing as he saw the young man give up. They always did when caught.

He needed to be just a bit more shameless for it to work on him. At least, that was what he'd been told.

"You are a thousand years too young to sway me with such amateur tactics." He stated, not meaning to but ruthlessly wounding the young man's pride. He had been the main attraction at the brothel for years and yet, his looks were novice? If he was a novice, who was the master?

Elsewhere, far away in a less than nice place, a shameless man shivered, feeling the call of his people.

"Now explain." The man demanded, staring at An Li over his tea.

"Fine." He sighed. "I was caught spying on some guests." He admitted casually, as if it wasn't a big deal at all.

"Spying?" Under his mask, Liang Fei frowned. Courtesans spied on people? Was that ethical? It made sense but wasn't it kind of cruel to spy on a man with his pants down? Surely, there was some limits, rights?

"Un." He nodded, relaxing as he stared elsewhere. "A client asked me to so I did but I got spotted by those immortals." He quickly turned back to Liang Fei, his eyes glowing with intent. While Liang Fei had managed to resist flinching, he still felt a bit like prey. "Speaking of, you seemed to handle them well enough, Uncle. Is there something you're hi-"

"Don't deflect." He interrupted, chastising him. "Continue."

"There's nothing else to it." An Li stated, crossing his arms. He really had wanted to get more out of Tankian but he was too tough. Might as well tell him. "I just kept an eye and ear out for whatever that guest talks about and sent the report back to my client."

"Do you usually spy on guests?" He asked, a bit concerned about such a practice. If caught by the head, the young man would probably be fired or worse. Liang Fei didn't want that for this young man. He was a bit sly but was generally kind.

"Not really but the client paid a lot of gold for me to do so little so how could I refuse?" He said, shamelessly thinking of all the gold he'd earned by just writing letters. Who knew it'd be that simple?

"By saying no." Liang Fei deadpanned, weighing the options and concluding that such a response would be his answer. Sure, a lot of money was nice but risking your career (though he couldn't really call... this a career) for that short term reward was ridiculous.

"That and it was an immortal who asked me." He continued, not hearing a word he said. REally, who would say no to such an easy deal?

"An Immortal?" He echoed, his worded gaining his attention. Was this possibly a plot point?

"Un." An Li nodded, seeing the curiosity in the man's eyes. "He's a... frequent guest of mine so I knew he was fine. In more ways than one." He said, ending with a sly wink.

The implications of such a phrase alongside An Li's job requirements made Liang Fei a bit out of sorts.

Liang Fei honestly wasn't sure what the say to that. Part of him was almost curious enough to ask how that worked. He didn't know how two guys did it. He kind of imagined a sword fight but quickly decided that such things were probably not how that worked.

Not wanting to think about that, he chose to take that thought and bury it deep into his subconscious with all the other repressed memories. There was space between catching his aunt and uncle 'snuggling' and rooming with a drunk, post sex Xuetian.

Never again...

An Li watched Liang Fei, wondering what thoughts were going through his head. His eyes were deep and foggy, as if immersed in a storm. He really wished to know what the man was thinking. He was so hard to read.

That mask didn't help. If his eyes weren't expressive, perhaps his whole face would be?

Crawling over, An Li reached for the cloth wrapped around his face. He'd be quick, faster than the man could react to. Despite his job choices, he was known for his sticky fingers.

Just as his fingers were about the brush the mask, his wrist was grabbed and he was pulled close until they were nearly nose to nose.

"What. Do you think you're doing?" He said, his voice a pitch deeper as he stared the young man down. He hadn't expect him to be so close but the thought of being caught scared and annoyed him.

An Li, on the other hand, was mesmerized. He hadn't noticed how lovely Tankian's eyes were, deep and vibrant violet that looked way too deep. The practiced and well trained courtesan known for breaking hearts was floored by this man's one intense gaze. Flushed red, An Li let himself fall into those eyes, unconsciously moving closer.

Liang Fei, oblivious to his actions, frowned, confused by the dazed look in the man's eyes. His eyes were misty and his face red.

Was he sick?

Just as he was about to ask, he heard the door open. Standing there was a pouting young boy who openly glared at An Li.

"Oi, stop clinging to big brother!" He cried rushing over only to be intercepted by Liang Fei, who lifted him easily into his arms. "You're bothering him!"

"Don't go around attacking people, Xieren." Liang Fei gently scolded, watching the child flail about trying to hit An Li. Despite being a cultivator (in training), Xieren was still a child and as such could be easily overpowered by an adult.

"Now now, there's no need to get so excited." An Li sighed, fanning himself as he tried to recover from that smoldering look. Even the memory had him shivering in delight. "Uncle and I were just talking."

"You don't need to be that close to talk!" He argued, not sure what he was bothered about but letting loose his annoyance.

"You are correct." He retorted, righting his robes that had slipped during the event. "But 'adult conversations' are like that, you kno-"

"Stop it. Don't lie" Liang Fei sighed, feeling things were getting weird. "Don't antagonize Xiao Ren so much." He asked, looking down at the simmering hellion.

Looking at him all puffed up and mad made him imagine a surly kitten, wanting to scratch the offending party's eyes out. As the only adult (it turns out) he had to regain control.

As he spoke to An Li, the surly kitten relaxed, practically purring at the slip.

_He called me Xiao Ren!_

Xieren curled up, still held in Liang Fei's arms, silently screaming with happiness! Had either man looked at him, they would swear there was a rapidly wagging tail behind him as he happily let himself be held.

The only thing to make it better?

A head pat.

***

After some explanations, Liang Fei chose to put Xieren to bed since it was getting late. An Li gave them his spare bed room for the night. He had tried to entice Liang Fei to share a room with him but was silenced by the glower of the child in his arms.

Really, kids shouldn't look so scary~

Unaware of all this, Liang Fei gently declined, wanting to tuck Xieren in. He was still a growing boy so sleep was imperative.

Saying his goodnight's, Liang Fei walked to the bedroom, carrying Xieren like a kitten as he did so. Said kitten was happy to remain where he was. It was kind of fun.

Minutes later they arrived and Xieren was returned to the ground. As he prepared for bed, Xieren couldn't help but stare at Tankian.

The man was strange, smelling nice but looking cold. His words were few and he wasn't nice in the traditional sense, where one smiles a lot. Xinyi was nice in that way but mostly spent time with him because he listened to her talk (for hours!) without growing impatient.

In a sense, he understood her better than Tankian. This man got nothing out of him but seemed content to spend time with him. Nothing untoward or even strange, like they were truly siblings.

Xieren found himself liking the thought of having big brother as a brother.

But first...

"B-big brother!?" He called out, just as Liang Fei was about to leave. "Are... Are you still mad at me?"

The man with slightly furrowed brows turned back, confused.

"Did I not explain myself before?" He responded, confusing the child. Explained before? What was explained before? Was there a part of the conversation that he'd missed?!

"...N-no, I don't think-"

"I told you I can't hate you." He clarified, sitting down beside him. The room was still brightly lit so Xieren could see all the shades in Liang Fei's eyes. Within those shades, he saw that the man was being honest.

"But wasn't that something else?"

"No, I was speaking in general." He stated, shaking his head. "Xieren is a good child so I can't hate you. Did I not clarify that?" He replied, cocking his head like a bird. The image of the stone face man doing such a thing would be hilarious if not for the context.

Xieren, while somewhat happy, couldn't help but be a bit bewildered by the statement. Who talked like that!? Generally conversations were only about the subject, not in general! Moreover, you never said all that so how was anyone to know!?

Moreover, he didn't know a thing about him. He was just a kid he'd met in the forest. He could have been a terrible person intent on harming him. If Liang Fei had shown himself to be bad, Xieren was fully intended on doing that. But to be so casually liked was...

Hiding his face in his arms, Xieren tried to get his feelings in check. Pure happiness was warring with his fear of rejection. He had trusted this man but he'd shown himself to be cold...

"But you got mad at me..." He mumbled, looking up at him with wet eyes, tears nearing the surface. Seeing this, Liang Fei rested a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"That was... not you, it was something else." He admitted, not really wanting to go more in depth with his excuse. There was no need to vent his problems on a child. "But know that you weren't at fault."

"Really?"

"Absolutely." He assured, earning a happy hug from Xieren. Liang Fei patted him on the back, finding the act cute.

"So what will you call me?" He asked, staring up at him with gleaming expectant eyes. Seeing that the man was confused, he clarified. "You only call me by my name."

"Eh? What else can I call you?" He retorted, still confused.

"You call that other guy Xiao Li!" He replied, his tone making clear his feelings on said 'guy'.

"So you wish for the same?"

Ah? I-I mean, it'd be nice... Since big brother claims not to hate me." He muttered, hiding his face from him. He'd come to realize that big brother was a bit soft hearted when asked nicely so he tried to persuade him by acting shy.

Such devious mind at such a young age. How frightening. 

Liang Fei, on the other hand, was unsure how to proceed. Calling him that would just make him sad so perhaps...

"I won't call you Xiao Ren but give me some time and I promise to come up with something." Liang Fei wasn't the best at names but he was sure he could come up with something.

"My own name?" Xieren was practically glowing with joy. "You'll give me one?"

"Un" He nodded, happy the matter was done.

"I want it now!" He demanded, with one eye gleaming with excitement. Liang Fei was quite put out.

"Give me time." He pleaded, willing his soft heart to remain firm. He would not let cute sway him this time.

"But-"

"Be good." He said, tucking the child into bed. When opened his mouth to complain, he reached out to pet him.

The moment was one that was but a second to Liang Fei but to Xieren, it felt like hours. The heavens opened and the choirs shouted with joy as this child finally, at long last, got his head pat.

Liang didn't understand why Xieren had reacted so strangely. Before, he'd went so far as to smack his hand away but now he reacted like a puppy, shivering with barely contained energy.

Was it because he was Tankian and not Liang Fei?

"...Xieren?" He watched the child happily accept his head pats, barely aware of anything else.

"Un?"

"Do you... like being petted?" He asked still confused.

Xieren felt his face burn with embarrassment. Part of him wanted to scream and shout the heavens that this was not a like but a love! Head pats were the best (despite him getting so few.)

Another part of him was self conscious about admitting such a thing, though he knew brother wouldn't fault him or make fun of him. Still.

"N-not really but I don't mind when big brother does it." He mumbled, covering half his face with the blanket. His eyes remained elsewhere, too embarrassed to look at the man.

"Then please don't mind if I continue." He said, gently stroking the boys head. Xieren preened under the attention, letting the pure contentment fill him.

Liang Fei was fine with This, since he liked kids but his words did make him wonder. Who did he not like petting him?

Except, the response he got was a bit disheartening.

"My shizun..." He replied, his tone resentful and annoyed. He didn't want to talk about that guy. He had finally put him out his mind and yet big brother just had to bring him up. "I hate him."

Said Shizun flinched, not expecting such a response. Hate him? How come!? He hadn't even done anything but try and check him for injuries.

Then again, Liang Fei had to remember that there was a history between them that was unknown to him. Liang Mei's rants were near gibberish and he mostly drowned her out.

"May I hear about him?" He asked, wanting to get a better understanding for the body he inhabited. While he was physically and mentally caught up (kind of) he still was unaware of how he used to be before Liang Fei took over. It'd be another lesson.

Unfortunately, said lesson was less than encouraging. To be blunt, Shao Liang Fei was a terrible master.

"Shizun is very distant with us disciples, generally just giving vague instructions and leaving us to do our best." Xieren reluctantly explained, pouting.

"He doesn't direct you?" He asked, confused by the mans actions. Who did that kind of thing?

(AN: Subs?)

"He doesn't do anything like that." Xieren sighed, annoyed at the subject yet unaware the said person sat beside him.

"Perhaps... he trusts that you will succeed on your own." Liang Fei tried to defend his original but was only met with a snort.

"Shizun has treated everyone this way, even me, his youngest direct disciple, has been treated like trash." He informed with a scowl. Though his skills were weak, to be treated in such a way by even his master? It really was too much. "I've barely seen him, even before he went into seclusion. From the time he picked me up, I've met him about 3 or 4 times."

Liang Fei was a bit surprised, not expecting his original to be quite so... lackadaisical when it came to teaching his students. From what Xieren said, Shao Liang Fei was a lazy man who just tossed out vague objectives and waved his students off to figure the rest out themselves.

While that might work for some, as expected, it left a lot of disciples confused and left behind, as the few who could work independently flourished.

It was why his (SLF) division had the most lopsided assortment of capable disciples. His method was the equivalent of kicking kids who don't know how to swim into the deep end and telling them to figure out the rest on their own. Really, it was a miracle that no one had died or gotten hurt yet.

Still, he turned out quite a few gems so most didn't dare question his teaching methods. Though, he was still greatly disliked by his fellow elders. It was only his past accomplishments and his family prestige that kept him from being dishonored completely.

Thinking about this, Liang Fei had figured out why he, the villain, was so disliked. He was a shit teacher.

But he was a bit curious.

"He picked you up?" He asked, a bit surprised. He hadn't expected that considering what he'd heard.

"Un." He nodded, yawning. He was getting tired.

"Then he probably saw something in you."

Xieren thought of the last time he'd seen Shizun. While he'd been too concerned about his bullies to think about it at the time, he felt something nagging at the edge of his consciousness. The man who usually turned a blind eye to his suffering and harassment, came to his aid. While one might think that made him a hero in his eyes, Xieren was someone to hold a grudge so he couldn't forgive the man who treated him like trash.

Even thinking back to the day that man picked him up, holding him by his raggedy collar like a stray, he couldn't summon a bit of like for the man.

"I doubt it." He grumbled, closing his eyes. He was still getting petted and it was relaxing.

"Don't say that." Liang Fei continued to encourage the boy. "You are a capable boy."

"I'm weak. I can barely do a single spell."

"You just need practice." He assured, letting his hand rest on Xieren's head. "But for now, go to sleep.

"G'night~" He said, curling up and relaxing under the covers. The room was soon blanketed by darkness and the only sounds remaining was their breathing and Liang Fei's footsteps as he walked out.

"Sleep well, Xieren."

Xieren smiled to himself, feeling very happy and content in that moment. Head pats were great but to hear someone say he was capable, that he was not a waste... It was almost too much to take. He'd have to properly thank brother for his kind words later.

Unfortunately, that night was the last time anyone ever saw Tankian.

***

The next morning, Xieren woke up in his own bed. While it should have surprised him, this was not a first for him.

For the weeks he'd been hanging out with Tankian, Xieren had grown used to waking up at the sect. It would seem that brother took him back every time.

Part of him was concerned for Tankian, since he was constantly breaking into the sect grounds unnoticed. Brother might be skilled but he risked too much just to insure that Xieren got back okay. What if someone caught him?

He might get hurt! Or worse.

Concern for another was new for Xieren but it felt so natural to feel it toward him. Tankian was not just anyone, he was the man who said kind words to him and taught him to read and write. He'd saved him from the ravine!

Tankian was someone worth his concern.

"Oi, waste!? You in there?"

Just then some people not worth his concern called out to him, not bothering to even knock as they burst into his room. Though to call this poorly made shack a room was too generous. It barely counted as a proper shack. During the summer it was a sauna and the winters were bitter and cold. Only his training as a cultivator and his learned skills from living on the street kept him from succumbing to the elements.

The boys who came in were familiar to him. They weren't the usual guys but they were just as hateful. Less hits and more words.

"So this is where the waste lives." One sneered, kicking over some stuff. Xieren didn't bother to make a fuss. It was just what they wanted.

"What do you want?" He demanded, his baleful gaze directed at the young man's feet. To glare at him directly was only going to earn him a beating. It was too early for that.

"Oi, is that anyway to speak to your senior?" The other sneered, stepping closer. "How rude of you, not even properly greeting us despite us coming all the way here to wake you."

 _You broke my door down!_  He mentally growled, wanting so bad the strength to beat these bastards. That door was hard to maintain and they just broke it down.

Still...

"Please forgive me, Shixiong." Xieren bowed low, gritting his teeth as he spoke. "Thank you for your humble guidance. This junior will strive to meet your expectations."

"That's more like it." One said, snickering as he kicked over more things. "We humble seniors will definitely guide you well, Little apprentice brother. Even a waste like you."

In the past, such words would have set his heart ablaze with rage and indignation but after the night before with Tankian, he felt... strangely calm. He was still angry over the door but being called waste hurt just a bit less. Thinking of those calm violet eyes eased the majority of his pain. Staring at the ground, his mind had drifted off so he failed to hear the boys words until-

"- when Shizun comes back. After that you-"

"H-huh?!"

Eh? Were you not listening?"

"S-Shizun is...coming down from his seclusion?" He asked, fear creeping into his heart. If he was coming back then...

Then he couldn't go down to town to see Tankian.

The only reason he'd been allowed to wander about as freely as he could was because his Shizun wasn't there to stop him. But if he returned, he'd need the man's permission to leave the sect grounds. And he doubted that man would let him.

Not bothering to listen to another word, Xieren rushed passed to two boys, shoving one to the ground as he did so. Anyone other time, he might have rejoiced to have overpowered them, even just a little but fear of never seeing Tankian again stomped his pride to dust.

Sometime later, Xieren somehow managed to reach the town, rushing around to find Tankian. A few familiar faces called out to him but stopped when they saw his robes. He hadn't bothered to change out of the robes he'd been putting on when those bullies burst in. 

But Xieren couldn't care less.

He had to find Tankian so he could give a proper goodbye. It wasn't what he wanted but it was how things had to go.

Except Tankian was nowhere to be found.

Not at his tree house, that was quiet and still despite his constant calls. Not at the brothel, where he usually hung about to exchange gossip with the ladies and men. They claimed they hadn't seen him since the night before. Even the people he worked for hadn't seen their usually punctual employee.

Xieren was freaking out.

Where was he? Was he alright? Why did leave? Didn't he say he(LF) wouldn't leave him(XR)?

"Brother..." Xieren wanted to curl up and cry but just kept moving, hoping to catch something. A glimpse of that long black hair or the mysteries scent that belonged only to Tankian. Anything at all.

But there was nothing.

Just as frustration and sadness flooded through him, his steps were stopped as someone pushed him into an alleyway. It took Xieren a moment to recover, having landed on his back and forced to catch his breath.

"What a sight. Here we were, about to head out only to find a wasteful little rat skulking about town."

Opening his eyes, Xieren glared up at Kang Su, his main bully. While Kang Su was strong cultivator, he was a jealous youth, tending to lash out at those who were better than him. Towards Xieren, his hatred was deep.

While Xieren was considerable weaker than him, Shizun had chosen him over Kang Su during his first exam. While Kang Su was also chosen that day, he resented the fact that Xieren was chosen as well as him. 

To be grouped together with a boy who couldn't barely piece together a spell was the ultimate insult.

"Though I must say it is a bit of a shock to see you here." He sneered, stepping froward. Unconsciously, Xieren moved back, trying to crawl to his feet. Hands landed on his shoulders, keeping him in place. "Shizun is due descend in a few days and yet here you are, not preparing for his return but traipsing through town like a maniac."

"I-" He started only to be kicked in the gut. As if this was a signal, his companions started beating him as well, their larger bodies easily over powering his starved body. He hadn't even tried to eat yet he rushed over and even ran about town. It was no wonder he was so weak. 

After a few moments of them beating him up, Kang Su stopped them with a word, though they still held him in place.

"Now I hope you wont misunderstand and think we're bullying you, waste." Kang Su Mocked, smirking down at the child. "We seniors just want to properly guide you on the right path since you are bothering people."

Xieren, too weak from the beating and hunger, remained silent, not that Kang Su was bound to listen to his pleas. He was enjoying thus too much.

"You dishonor our Master so let us seniors give you proper guidance." He said, featuring for his goons to take him. "Elder Shao will be quite displeased to hear about all the trouble you've caused these good people."

Without looking away, Kang Su watched his minions drag the boy away, feeling content at the thought of him being punished. Finally, some justice for his wounded pride.

Meanwhile, Xierens mind was on Tankian. He had just wanted to see him one last time, yet...

He had to see him one more time.

He hadn't played the flute to him.

He hadn't gotten a name from him.

There were so many things he wanted to do with him. To see his face, scars and all. To eat with him and receive a smile from him.

"Brother Tankian..." He mumbled, tears fighting to the surface as he was dragged away.


	12. Making things Right

The sun had barely risen in the sky but Liang Fei was already up and ready. Stretching, he looked out his small window and let the morning air greet him.

It'd been about a week since he'd dropped Xieren off at the sect, needing to get him someplace safe while he ran errands. Since the boy tended to remain on the grounds for a few days before descending down the mountain again, Liang Fei didn't think he'd miss him when he came back. His time in the town was short, long enough only to drop off a note he wanted passed to Xieren.

He'd thought of dropping it off in his room but figured that might be too suspicious. While he was sure his identity was still safe, showing up at the sect so often with no apparent connection to it might come off as strange.

He had briefly heard whispers about some event involving a bunch of cultivators in town but paid it no mind since there was often talk of the immortals. They came by often and always set the town abuzz. Part of him wanted to partake in the gossip but he had other things to take care off before he took on the role of Shao Liang Fei, some villain guy in this apparent novel.

"Ah~" He sighed, closing his eyes. He'd been living like this for a couple weeks now and he had progressed a lot more than he'd thought. His new body, foreign as it was, was much easier to move now. He could practically fly with how high he could jump.

There were still many things he didn't understand but as the days passed, he found himself feeling slightly less homesick. He still thought about his family, his friend and all he'd left behind. He wondered how they took his death. Were they crying? Probably, though he was sure his friend would try to lighten things up. Would they be alright without him? While he and Mei both worked to support their aunt and uncle, his job was a lot more lucrative, though much more soul draining.

Not that he had minded though. He was fine with working to help support his family. It was just that deep within his heart, he had dreams. Dreams that only left the deep recesses of his mind when copious amounts of alcohol was involved.

To be a teacher.

Since he was a child, he'd wanted to teach. He couldn't help but think of the joy one must feel seeing the children they helped cultivate grow up and do amazing things. There were downsides but somehow, he knew that his passion would help ease those times when stress and frustration build up. When he had told his best friend about it, he laughed at first, finding amusement that his dream was so mundane.

"Seriously? A teacher?!" He'd said, snickering as he stared down at his drunk friend. "How very like you, to have a dream so dull."

Liang Fei had wanted to tear into him, inebriation giving him the will to speak his mind when common sense would usually silence him. But Xue Tian continued.

"But that's not a bad thing. All that matters is that you have something to be passionate about." He sighed, taking a swig. "Keep that in mind and who knows?! Maybe you'll get a chance to do it."

Thinking back, he realized he never got to fulfill his dream when he was alive. It was sad but perhaps he had gotten another chance at it. There were still a lot of unknowns but he felt somewhat content living in this world. It was strange and hard to comprehend but he couldn't deny... it was exciting to say the least.

Looking around, he spotted some Xieren's practice work that he'd brought back and couldn't help smiling a bit. The handwriting was messy and blotchy in places but the characters were there and were (somewhat) legible. Pride for his student bloomed in his heart.

He'd finally found himself a student to teach. It had been troublesome to keep from talking outside of their lessons and Xieren, like any child, was hard to keep focused but just as he'd thought... The paper is gently tucked away, shielded from the elements.

Seeing him succeed, even just a little, brought joy to his heart that washed his sadness away in an instant. He was looking forward to teaching him more words and seeing him learn just how wide the world could be. Cause soon enough, he'll be able to read!!!! He had so many suggestions in mind, starting from the classics to the more contemporary books.

(AN: LF REALLY likes books and wishes to share it with anyone with earshot.)

With a eager step, he turned around, catching his reflection in the mirror. Long black hair, no longer pulled back in a high ponytail but gracefully falling flat on his back. The only thing keeping it from blowing about was a ribbon tied at the nape of his neck. His skin was flawlessly pale, not a hint of the make up he'd used to hide himself. The only that was the same was his eyes, bright violet that shined with quickly fading glee.

Ah, right. He was no longer Tankian.

He tampered his expectations quickly, reminding himself that he had to go back to his 'real' life. He couldn't hide away forever, pretending to be a vagrant. While it had been nice, he had a role to take on, a responsibility.

He was a teacher after all.

He had more than just one pupil to guide and teach. While he enjoyed teaching Xieren, he was but one of many. Among those left in his care was the protagonist, destined to kill him in... horrible ways. To prevent this, he had to show himself to be a good role model to everyone, not just Xieren.

Liang Fei promised himself to make all his students feel content under his care and succeed... even if he had to break them to do it! He thought, passion for his job burning throughout his body.

Elsewhere, those under the tutelage of Master Shao shuddered, feeling as if a storm was coming and there was no escape.

***

Walking around, Liang Fei wasn't sure what he expected but it wasn't this.

"Good morning, Shizun!" All the children of various ages called out, bowing low. They had been waiting for their master to visit the main hall but ended up catching him walking around the grounds. Liang Fei, not knowing what was happening, nodded in understanding.

He was hungry so he had been trying to get to the cafeteria before greeting his students but got caught before hand.

Damn.

With a sigh, he went over to speak to them, wanting to familiarize with his students. As expected, the disciples were on edge, not used to their master even looking at them let alone acknowledging their greeting.

"Name and current rank." He said, looking over at the children before him. When their shocked silence went on, he cocked a brow. "Well?"

They quickly regained their souls, shock momentarily taking it from them. Was this truly real?! Shizun actually speaking to them!

Had hell frozen over?!

After listening to them introduce themselves, Liang Fei turned and left, leaving the disciples to remain in place, their world blown and their hearts racing.

Some were over the moon that their usually distant master had paid them any mind while others wondered why he seemed different.

None really disliked the change and went about their day, unaware of the hell that was about to descend upon them.

As this was going on, Liang Fei was going over a lesson plan and trying to figure out how to improve those falling behind. As expected, many had fallen to the wayside, low in rank as they meekly admired in front of everyone.

That had to change.

Another issue was that he hadn't seen Xieren amongst the disciples. He knew he was hated by the child but that didn't excuse failing to greet him. Had he overslept?

As he pondered this, he happened to pass by some building where some disciples were talking. They hadn't noticed him yet, so their words were candid.

"Shit, we need to get to the main hall quick!" One of the youth cried, clearly worried. "What if Elder Shao notices we aren't-"

"Relax!" Kang Su assured, leaning against the wall. "Elder never checks who's there so I doubt he'll notice."

"Yeah, but..."

"Besides, once he learns about that brat, he'll understand our absence." He sneered, his confidence easing the tension between him and the two boys before him. "Someone has to watch over his disciple."

"The waste is still locked up?" One asked,more curious than concerned. "How long has it been?"

"A week, I think?"

"A week?" Another said, shocked but amused. "I hope you at least gave him some food otherwise we might end up giving Elder Shao a corpse."

The thought if ridding the sect of that worthless child filled them glee and ended up sharing a laugh over it.

Kang Su, personally pleased with himself, turned around only to bump into someone. Looking up, about to scold them for daring to get in his way, his heart stopped when he saw the cold gaze boring into him.

"E-elder Shao!" Kang Su cried, surprised but happy to see the elder. "This disciple humbly greets you. I hope you are doin-"

"I can see that." He interrupted, cocking a brow at Kang Su. "Now what is this about punishing my Disciple?" He demanded, a cold wind blowing through the air as he stood there, staring down at the young man. The usually fearless Kang Su shivered, not daring to look up.

"U-uh, If this humble disciple may speak, I was just-"

"Just?"

"Our younger apprentice brother was found wandering about town despite being told to prepare for Elder Shao's descent from seclusion." He explained, hoping their master had not heard them talking before. "Since Elder Shao was unable to, we humble disciples locked him away to await punishment from Elder."

"Oh? You get to decide who I punish, do you?" He countered, eyeing all of the boys. "I must say, this master is quite surprised. When did such young men surpass me in authority?" He asked, watching the boys break out in a cold sweat but continuing anyway. "Should I yield other things to you?"

"W-what!? I would never-"

"Perhaps we can have a match, so that my young disciple can show off how strong you've become." He suggested, his tone light even as his eyes remained cold. "Surely you have improved greatly since my departure?"

Kang su felt his heart freeze, fear of being discovered evident. He, like most of the disciples under his master, tended to be lax when Elder Shao was not around, which was often. In fact, the reason he'd even spotted Xieren was because he and his companions were planning on hanging about town. Rumor had it that the girls in town were lovely.

Pale in face, Kang su kowtowed to Liang Fei, pleading shameless to be let off. He truly hadn't meant to offend the man. In fact, he expected praise, since he usually cared little for what happened to that little urchin. Had he pushed his luck?

"This Elder is a merciful master so I will allow you to remain in my care." He said, after letting the young man beg not to be his opponent. Honestly, he wasn't really planning on fighting him. For one thing, he was a kid so some leeway had to be given. On the other, while his trust club (sword) was useful in a fight, it might be strange if he can't draw it.

"Thank you, Elder Shao." Kang Su sighed, his muscles relaxing from the tension he hadn't known was going through him. He had felt his life was about to end. But Elder was generous enough to-

"Ten laps."

"Eh?"

"Must I repeat myself every time?" He sighed, his tone light as air. "Ten laps around the sect grounds. Same as before. No meal until you're done."

"E-Elder Shao, thats-"

"Oh? So you do wish to have a match with me?"

Heart racing, Kang jumped to his feet, sweating profusely. "N-n-no! I'll get started right away, Elder!" Quickly, as if scared the man would change his mind if he stalled any further, Kang Su dashed away, his heart crying the tears he couldn't shed.

Why this again!?

All the while, Liang Fei sighed, scratching his head in frustration. How annoying. Were his students so undisciplined that they so candidly mocked and harassed others?

He'd have to fix that.

"All is well, Master Shao?" Liang Fei turned to see the sect leader standing nearby, closer than most would be comfortable with. Anyone else would jump, surprised by either the proximity of the man or the abruptness of his appearance.

But Liang Fei was not anyone else.

With a steady heart and eyes, he took a step back to properly greet the man seen as ice cold. Just then, his mask of apathy fell, revealing a slight pout.

"Really? Nothing?" Zi Shuren sighed, disappointed. He had wanted to get a rise out of the man. It had been over a month since they saw each other last and Shuren had been awaiting the day he'd see Liang Fei again.

"Hm? Was there something Master Shuren wished of me?" Liang Fei asked, completely ignorant of how cute he looked cocking his head to the side. Staring up at the slightly taller man with a deadpan expression that screamed 'i don't know what I look like'.

Shuren, unwilling, took a step back, surprised by the sudden racing of his heart. Truly, this man was too much.

"I-I see you have returned to us, Master Shao." He said, replacing his mask quickly. He didn't want to be looked down upon for succumbing to the newly apparent... appeal of Liang Fei. Really. It was too much.

Still confused but not putting much more thought into it, Liang Fei replied succinctly.

"I am grateful to have Master Shuren welcome me back." He said, his tone light but pleasant. Shuren suppressed the happiness that bloomed in his heart at the phrase.

"Perhaps then, Master Shao would be willing to have some tea with me." He asked, trying to ignore how pretty the man's eyes were. Were they always so pretty?

Deep in his mind, he briefly recalled that Liang Fei had always had green eyes, not violet but the thought was quickly crushed before it reached the surface.

"I would very much like that," He replied, unaware of the giddy joy erupted under the surface of the man before him. "But I must attend to my student first."

"Ah, the one locked in the shack?" He guessed, not hiding his knowledge of this. He wasn't tolerant of such billing but rules had been broken and the one with the final say was Liang Fei, not him.

"So you knew about this?" He asked, his tone dripping ice as he thought of this man allowing a child to be bullied.

Zi Shuren, an ice prince himself remained firm, though a but taken aback at the man's sudden concern. He barely noticed the harassment before.

"They're your disciples." He stated, giving an equally cold look. The two blizzards raged on between them before one side, Liang Fei, gave in.

"My apologies then." He sighed, frustrated at the mess left behind for him. His students were like this because of lack of guidance.

He'd have to fix that.

***

Xieren woke up.

Like the days before, the first sight to greet him was the dirty hay left in the shack he was locked up in. The air was thick and stale from the lack of windows and he could feel the sweat rolling off his skin.

His breaths were shallow, his body trying to stave off the sickness plaguing him.

Those bastards had left him here to die!

A week before, he'd been caught roaming about town without permission. He was dragged up the mountain, screaming in pain as the terrain went from streets to dirt roads fast. These seniors were at a level where they could afford to get a ride but chose to walk just for the pleasure of seeing him cry out in pain.

Part of him hated that he'd given them that pleasure. He'd so wanted to remain silent but after an hour of his clothes and skin being scrapped, it was nearly impossible to remain quiet.

When they finally arrived, Kang Su and his thugs had dumped him before the rest of the disciples, telling them how he'd been caught in town, lazing about rather than working on their Master's return ceremony. Everyone rallied against him, finding fault in him abandoning his work as a disciple to play around.

Xieren hadn't expected anything different.

No one asked why his robes was in tatters or why he was bleeding. No one even spared him more than a glance before condemning him to this shack, to await further punishment.

So now he had to stay where he was, waiting for that hateful man to come and punish him further. And he would. Shizun rarely missed a chance to torment him somehow.

Even when he was absent, his influence brought him harm.

As his skin burned with a fever, he whispered promises to himself, to stave off the pain. None were new.

To get stronger, stronger than anyone.

To kill those who had laughed at his suffering.

To make a place where he could live in peace.

Hidden, the masked face of Tankian appeared before him. Stoic yet gentle violet eyes gazed at him, his feverish mind bringing with it the illusion of a smile.

His vision fading as the fever pushed him into unconsciousness, he made one more promise.

To see Tankian once more.

Just as darkness claimed him, he heard the door slam open, the sweet smell of fresh air and something else rushed passed him.

"Xieren!?" The voice called out, deep concern evident in its voice. It was muffled and faded to his ears but Xieren took comfort in that voice.

A pair of arms embraced him, bringing that wondrous scent closer. Still a bit out of it, Xieren pressed himself closer despite the heat, not wanting to part with this person. This person cared...

"Brother..."


	13. Great Teacher Liang Fei

The next few days were a blur for Xieren, as he slipped in and out of consciousness. During the few moments of clarity, he recalled someone sitting beside him, feeding him though he couldn't recall a taste and speaking gentle words to him.

It was the best feeling ever.

He could even vaguely recall a melody being hummed, making him think Tankian had come to visit, but surely not. They weren't in town. He was back at the sect, being locked away.

It was a few days after when his fever broke and he was strong enough to get out of bed. As expected he was alone.

He'd kind of hoped that the person caring for him would be there so he could properly thank them.

Sighing, he took in a breath and felt his heart stop.

It was clean air.

Looking around, he noted that he was in his room but it looked nothing like what he'd remember it being. Despite it being little more than a shack, Xieren had tried to make it livable. The floor was cleaned whenever he had the chance and He made sure to keep a window open to let in some fresh air.

But there were limits to what could be done to such a rundown shack. Xieren was a child, not a contracted, so when damage was done to the structure, he could do little more than just cover it up. As such, the shack was full of holes and leaks.

Except, it wasn't anymore.

The shack was still the same but the holes he covered with cloth and bark had been covered and sealed, blocking off the leaks that Xieren had grown used to. For the first time in months, the child woke up to a relatively warm room rather than an ever present draft.

Looking around, he saw that the room had been cleaned up, with nary a item out of place.

Xieren was still reeling from shock when two different smells hit him at once.

One was the familiar scent of tea that Xinyi always brewed him. It was mint tea, just as he prefered. He could even smell the hint of sugar she always snuck in cause of her own notorious sweet tooth.

Xieren sighed, happy that the person who cared for him was her. Anyone else might be tempted to poison him or worse.

The unfamiliar scent was from a bowl of soup sitting beside the tea. It looked normal and smelled delicious. It's was just...

Why was it so ominously red?!

Wary, Xieren took a step closer, taking in the scent once more. It smelled spicy, the spices burning his nose a bit. But it also smelled good so...

Taking that first bite... Xieren thought he was going to die. It took everything he could to swallow the soup and even then, felt like death was coming for him.

He ate all the rice, trying to stave off the spice from his tongue. As he tried to catch his breath, he stared at the still full bowl, his wariness increasing.

What an evil brew.

It was dangerously spicy, too much for anyone to stomach more than a single bite. Just the thought of it brought tears to his eyes. Except...

It was also really delicious!!!

Xieren was no cook, so to ask why he loved it would be like asking a child to explain brain surgery but one thing was for sure. Xieren wanted more.

With a heavy heart, Xieren raised his spoon like a weapon to used against the mightiest of foes and dug in, not stopping until the bowl was empty.

As expected, the burning sensation lasted for a while, making him roll and cry out as he tried to recover. It only reversed after a few mouthfuls of rice. With a sigh and an little burp, Xieren laid back on his bed, full and satisfied.

"Ah~ that was so good!" He sighed, stretching his arms out. As his robes fell past his arms, he noticed they were covered in bandages.

Curious, he checked himself and saw he was covered in bandages. Xinyi must have taken him to Elder Zhihao. The herbs were definitely his.

Just as he was about to get up, someone hammered on his door. It wasn't hard enough break it down but if was hard enough to shack the structure.

"Oi, waste, get out here!" Someone called out. Xieren didn't recognize the voice but that didn't matter. Everyone treated him the same way.

Save for Xinyi. Perhaps he should thank her for the food later.

"Master Shao is waiting."

Xieren's mood darkened, making him scowl hatefully. He had forgotten that that man would be returning. That he was the reason he'd needed treatment in the first place. That he could no longer spend time with Tankian.

Equal parts sad and angry, Xieren got up and got dressed, assuring the person outside he'd be there. Surprisingly, they waited for him, which he had not expected when he opened the door.

"Master Shao doesn't like it when us disciples come alone." The young man grumbled, looking impatient. "Everyone else had been on time so only us two are late. You have to come with me."

Xieren inwardly frowned, though he kept his expression blank in front of this person. He didn't think much of his words, though as they walked, he learned this person was quite talkative.

"I still can't believe this!" He cried, walking side by side with Xieren. "I woke up late and my dumb roommate left me alone! Did he want all the good food for himself?!"

Xieren said nothing, not really caring. Really, this was strange. Other than Xinyi, no one else bothered to talk to him yet this guy was just venting all his frustrations on him.

"Oh, that reminds me!" The young man turned to him, looking earnestly curious. "What's your name? I'm Zuejie." He held out a hand, smiling jovially. This made Xieren even more suspicious.

Xieren walked past him, ignoring the hand and moving outside. He could hear the faint sound of people talking all at once. Was there some event going on? Anywhere else in the sect, one would assume it was a training session but Shizun wasn't like that.

"H-Hey, wait!" Zuejie called out, running to catch up with Xieren. "Why did you run off? I told you we have to arrive together or else Shizun will-"

"I don't care." He grumbled, not really in the mood to deal with such a troublesome person this soon after waking up. Surely there was some rule that said you can't annoy people this early in the day?

"Hmph. You might not care but I do." Zuejie replied, pouting. "I don't want us to get in trouble with Master Shao. You're my partner, after all."

Eh? Since when? He thought, grimacing as they arrived outside. As he'd thought, dozens of disciples were standing around, chattering to themselves. No one seemed to notice their arrival, which had Zuejie sighing in relief.

"That's great." He said, leaning on Xieren's shoulder like they were close. "Maste hasn't arrived yet." Annoyed by the proximity, Xieren brushed the boy off, turning to leave when he heard someone call out to him.

"Xieren?"

The boy stopped, his heart racing as excitement filled him. That voice? Was there many who had such a voice but... He turned, the words 'big brother' on the tip of his tongue when he saw who it was.

It was Shao Liang Fei.

As disappointment rushed over him like a tidal wave, he scowled at the ground, not daring to show such disrespect to this... person.

Why? Why does he have to sound so much like him? Shizun was not as kind or caring as Tankian so how dare their voices be so alike!

"T-this disciples humbly greets Shizun." He said, surprised by how smoothly the words came out. He was still angry at him. If not for him coming back, he'd not have been punished and he could go and properly look for Tankian.

"I'm glad to see you up and about." He replied, surprising Xieren. "I heard you were sick but it seems you are now feeling better."

Xieren wasn't sure how to feel. On one hand, the words said were even and lacked any mocking tone but on the other, Shizun's eyes were shimmering with amusement. Was he truly sincere or not?

"This disciple thanks Shizun for worrying but all is well." He said, his tone clearly confused. Just as he was about to ask why he was so concerned, the man turned away to address the group.

"Alright, class! You all know how this goes so please get in position." He stated, watching everyone scatter into little groups. As he watched them, Xieren stared at Liang Fei, confused.

"What is..."

"Oh right, you've been out sick, haven't you." Zuejie chimed in from beside him. "Not sure why but Master Shao has been overseeing our training for the last few days."

This confused Xieren even more, since the Shizun he knew never bothered to even guide his disciples, let alone oversee them train.

Yet throughout the day, he watched the man walk around the courtyard, looking over the groups. Strangely, he seemed to organize the more advanced disciples as group leaders, tasked with guiding those with a similar element who were less advanced. Since Xieren only had skills with fire spells, he was paired with a senior who specialized in the element.

While the senior seemed less than enthused to allow him into the group, one pointed look from Shizun and the young man quickly shut his mouth and went on to show the others what he knew. As the lesson went on, Xieren couldn't help but watch Shizun.

His ears perked up everytime he spoke, though it was usually just him giving advice and guiding either the seniors or the shidi on whatever they were doing. Watching him, Xieren could tell he seemed to be happy, though his expression never shifted from that calm serene face.

Just like Tankian.

He didn't know what to do with this. Every time he heard him speak, he thought of Tankian but he also knew they couldn't be connected. Different people could have different voices after all.

Moreover, he refused to think that his favorite person was also his most hated person..

"Oi, are you even paying attention!" Xieren's eyes snapped up, only now realizing that he was still in the middle of a lesson. Seeing everyone in the groups eyes fall on him, Xieren flinched.

"S-sorry." He mumbled, though he inwardly scolded himself for showing weakness. Still, he had been daydreaming so...

"Figures." Another disciple sneered, his name unknown to Xieren but as venomous as those he knew. "This waste probably knows its a fools errand to learn like us. He can barely light a candle but dares show himself to us."

His words set off a chorus of laughter, leaving Xieren sitting there, his hands clenched in his sleeves. His expressed was blank, this time not allowing them to see his anger. Yet again, he chanted his mantra, his promises to the heavens.

**Get stronger than anyone.**

**Kill those who laugh-**

"Why are you all laughing during a lesson?" A voice said, sweeping over the group. Immediately, everyone's eyes darted toward Liang Fei, who watched them impassively. They all paled at the sight of him, knowing what would come next.

"Master Shao, we-" The senior started but was ignored as the man's eyes fell on the nameless disciple who started it.

"Fan Qui, do you usually go around making fun of others?" He asked, not even bothering to speak quietly. "I must saw, that is a daring thing to do considering your current level of skill. I don't believe that is behavior befitting a disciple, don't you?"

The boy looked away, shame evident on his face. In his heart, he knew he was not much better than Xieren in terms of skills but was content to allow Xieren to be the target as opposed to him. He had no personal grudge against him but...

"N-no, Master..." He mumbled, humble and contrite.

"Then perhaps you should properly study how to behave like a true cultivator before you learn any actual skills." He said, pointing the the library. "Copy volumes 1 to 3 of the behavioral manual and then come to report what you've learned."

They all knew those books, they were thick and very word heavy. It would take hours to copy just one but 3? That'd take days!

"But-"

"Clearly, you have a lot to learn about respecting others if you think insulting someone who sincerely apologizes for their mistake is moral." He stated, his tone firm and leaving no room for argument.

The young man, embarrassed, stood up and stomped away, not wanting to be around any longer. Silence fell, leaving them all awkwardly waiting for something to happen. Would they, the group, get in trouble for laughing?

Their worries were soon put to rest when Liang Fei turned back to the senior in charge. Addressing the young man by name, he told him to keep a better grip on those in his charge or else he'd be held responsible next time. After that, everyone was on their best behavior, at least in their group. A few times, Xieren heard Shizun scold others for disruption and bullying.

All the while, Xieren watched him, trying to figure out what was bothering him about the whole situation just then.

***

"Ah~ how lucky are we?!" Xuejie exclaimed, standing next to Xieren. He (XR) wasn't sure why this kid kept so close to him all the time. Had it not been for their difference in element, Xuejie would have remained by his side the whole day.

It was weird...

Xieren said nothing, walking away from the young man. Xuejie, enthusiastic by nature, thought nothing of it and followed after Xieren.

"I'm so glad is rained today or else we'd have had to run all around the sect and it is hellish!" He complained, after catching up with Xieren. "Though I suppose it is good to build up ones strength, huh?"

Xieren wasn't sure. He'd always run to exercise but Shizun apparently wanted them to run laps around the sect grounds which was... difficult to say the least. At least for everyone else.

While their jog had been cut short by the rain, Xieren was the only one to keep up with Shizun, who was leading them around the grounds. Xieren hadn't even noticed he'd kept up with the man until he turned his head.

"Ah, Xieren, I wasn't expecting you to be there." He noted, his brows rising just a bit. "I was worried you'd get left behind but here you are. Good job."

What happened after that was a bit unclear. Perhaps he kept running or maybe he stopped, he wasn't sure but one thing was for sure. Those words 'good job' circled about his head.

He felt... good being complimented by that hateful man. He was happy... because of that bastard! Hatred and joy warred within him as he tried to settle his mind. It was so confusing and he hated it, so his expression darkened.

"Hey, Xieren, are you okay?" Xuejie asked, bringing him back to the present. "You look like you swallowed a lemon?" He joked, smiling a bit. Xieren wasn't amused and kept walking.

Briefly he wondered when this person, whom he'd never met before today, had learned his name but figured that there were many whose name he didn't know. He(XJ) probably just know of him (XR).

Letting the thought fade, he and Xuejie arrived at the cafeteria, watching all the disciples rush over to the food line. The disciples were almost climbing over each other to get food.

"Ah, I guess this means we'll be stuck with Red Pot." Xuejie sighed with disappointment and woe. "I hate this. I don't want to die!!"

"Red pot?" Xieren couldn't help but ask cause he could smell something delicious. It smelled familiar.

"Oh, yeah, you've been sick, haven't you." Xuejie directed them to a table in the far corner. Sitting across from each other, Xuejie continued. "Over the last couple days, a new dish has been found among all the usual meals. It's a pot of soup in a red pot. It's... it's terrible!!!"

"Is it really that bad?" He asked, his mind drifting to the smell of food. Really, if not for all the other people, he would be able to place the smell.

"I don't know." He shrugged, tapping his fingers.

"You don't know?" Xieren blinked, not expecting such a response.

"No one knows!" He exclaimed, his cry drowned out by all shouts behind them. "No one's been able to eat it! It's too ominous and so spicy, it feels like your tongue is trying to kill itself! It's cursed they say."

For some reason, he thought of that deliciously spicy soup he'd eaten that morning. Just the thought of the ominously red brew made him want to drool. It was so delicious! Was that the smell he'd been picking up? Part of him wanted to run over to see but being as small as he was, getting through that crowd was impossible.

Just then, he felt a hand tap his shoulder. He turned but saw no one. Frowning, he turned back to see Xinyi sitting on his right, smiling at the surprise that was probably evident on his face.

"Did I scare you?" She teased, resting her tray of food on the table. As usual, she had a lot with her. Being as popular as she was, she had little trouble getting whatever food she liked but she always got enough for them both.

"Ah yi..." He grumbled, upset that he'd been taken by surprise. He could usually smell her from far away, since she always smelled like herbs but his focus was on that soup and-

"Oh wow!" Xuejie cried out, his eyes glowing with awe and admiration. Xieren had actually forgotten about him for a moment. "You really are friends with the lovely flower, Xinyi. Bro, you really are so cool!"

"... Ah-Ren, who is this?" Xinyi muttered, frowning at the sight another at their table.

"Oh! You guys are so close already? I'm so jealous!!" He complained, pouting as he laid his head on the table. Xieren felt a bit embarrassed, not wanting to explain it all.

He and Xinyi had gotten close after their talk. They weren't friends (at least to Xieren) but she was the closest thing to a friend

"Ah-ren and me are very close!" Xinyi bragged, preening at the attention. _If Xieren let this guy sit with him, he must be nice_ , she thought with a smile. "He's my sweet little brother!"

"I'm older than you." He stated, taking a bowl of rice from her tray. She'd have handed it to him anyway so he thought nothing of it.

"But I'm taller than you." She countered with a worldly smile.

"That doesn't mean-"

"It means you are little compared to me so you are my little brother now." She declared with gusto.

"You don't get to decide that on your own!"

"I just did!." :)

As the two stared each other down, Xuejie stared at them, his expression one of contemplation. Eyes furrowed and a look of bewilderment evident.

This wasn't right. He thought, watching the two.

Seeing the look, Xieren stared back at the young man, confused and suspicious of the look. Before he could open his mouth to ask, he was embraced by Xinyi all of a sudden.

"Hug time!" She cried, happly trying to smother him in her bosom. Most men wouldn't mind but he wanted to breath so he struggled.

"Ack, get off me!" He struggled to get free but he also didn't want to spill their food so it was hard. It became harder still when he was grabbed from the other side by Xuejie.

"Double hug time!"

"Why are you hugging me!?" His shouted, his face a mix of black and red as he tried to free himself. Xinyi hugging him was one thing but this guy too? He was not a damn doll!

"I don't want to be left out." Xuejie pouted, his serious look long forgotten when looking at such a pitiful expression.

"I don't want you hugging me." He growled, struggling to place his food on the table so he could effectively escape.

"So I can hug you, Ah-Ren?"

"I can't imagine why any guy would refuse a hug from such a pretty girl. Xuejie said, his tone sagely and sounding much older than his years.

"Is that why you're here?" Xieren asked, letting himself be pulled into Xinyi embrace, the back of his head cushioned on her breasts. "To get close to Ah-Yi?"

"I... won't say that's NOT why but..." He admitted, looking away embarrassed. Despite not looking, he could feel the blackening of Xieren face, his annoyance radiating off him. Jumping back, Xuejie held his hands up in surrender. "Now now, there's no need to get all upset. Shimei is part of it but I really do admire you, bro. Everyone told me that you were weak but you blew them out of the water today."

Hearing another praise him was... weird. It wasn't bad but it didn't feel as nice as when Tankian did so. Probably because it was preceded by a insult.

"Eh? Ah-Ren did well today?" Xinyi asked, curious. She heard he'd been locked away for days now, hence her rushing over to check him out. Despite what she'd heard, he looked fine, other than the bandages. "You didn't hurt anywhere?"

"No, I didn't." He replied, frowning a bit to himself. He hadn't noticed it cause his focus had been on Shizun but his body didn't hurt. It was a bit numb but not at all painful.

"Did you take some medicine?" Xuejie asked, wanting back into the conversation. Xinyi gave him a look, her gaze accusatory, as if to say 'who else but I would make him medicine that he would take?'

Thinking back, the only thing was that ominously red soup he'd eaten. While it was a task to finish the bowl without dying, afterward he felt refreshed and warm. Throughout the day, he felt more relaxed and less fatigued. Even cultivating was a bit easier, though he knew he hadn't gotten very far. Still, he'd made more progress today than in the last year he'd been trying to get stronger.

Smiling a bit at the thought, he turned to Xinyi who stopped when she saw Xieren smile. The instances of seeing the child smile was few and far between so she stopped to stare, her face a bit warm at the sight.

"Ah yi?"

"Eh!? Y-yes?!" She stammered, pulled from her admiration. He really was adorable when he smiled. Perhaps later, he'd grow up to be handsome? No, with a face like that, he'd be a lady killer. PArt of her wished to protect him from that. His sharp tongue was bound to break a few hearts.

(AN: Recall all the stuff he'd said and thought about Xinyi and keep in mind that they are close. God help anyone outside that.)

"Thank you for before."

"Before?"

"The breakfast you left for me?" He reminded her, smirking at the notion that she'd forgotten. "I recognized the tea you left, though the soup was new."

"Soup?" She echoed, frowning cutely. "Oh, not that wasn't me."

"It wasn't?"

"No, the tea was what I brought for you, since I figured you were still sick." She explained, fully letting him go. "You always seemed to like that brew so I brought it over but the meal was already there when I came by the last few days."

"Days?" He questioned, not expecting that he'd been fed before this. Xinyi nodded, not noticing his look of confusion, instead focusing on sharing her meal with both Xieren and Xuejie. Said young man watched with fascination.

"Yeah, a bowl was left there every morning though I'm unsure who made it. I assumed it was either a servant or maybe Elder Shao but I can't say for sure." At the suggestion, Xuejie burst out laughing.

"Master Shao? Cooking for a disciple? No way!" He said, his expression incredulous. "Master Shao is weird now but he isn't like that."

Xieren felt the same. Shizun wasn't like that. At least, he hadn't been. All day today and even before, he seemed strange. Nicer...

Xieren, frustrated by the inconsistencies warring in his head, crammed some food into his mouth, wanting to eat his headache away. Xinyi said nothing and Xuejie continued to talk about other things. All the while, Xieren kept firm in his beliefs.

Shizun is hateful.

***

Hours later, Xieren was sleeping in his room peacefully. The sound of the rain a gentle melody to sing him to sleep. Except not now.

He had to pee.

Getting up, he slipped on some proper clothes and snuck out his room. Usually, there were only the guards keeping watch but none should be nearby. Even if caught, he'd just explain his reason and be sent on his way.

At the very least, the guards were cruel to him, just indifferent.

The lavatory was just past the kitchen, which was a separate build from the cafeteria. Quietly, he briskly walked past the building. There was a dim light coming from within. Perhaps the kitchen aunties were making breakfast? It was fairly early so it seemed right. Just as he past the window, he heard something.

_Graffiti decorations, under a sky of dust_

_A constant wave of tension, on top of broken trust_

Someone was singing, though the words were a bit unclear to him. Despite that, he stopped in his tracks, letting the rain soak him to the skin.

That voice!

_The lessons that you taught me,_

_I learned were never true_

No, it wasn't the voice or even the melody, being a new one to his ears, that had him rushing to the window. That had him climbing up crates to catch sight of the person within.

It was the feeling his melody brought forth.

The feeling of warmth and ease that chased out chill of the rain. A feeling similar to a warm hug after a hard day.

Within the kitchen, as expected was a man with his back to Xieren. From the looks of it, it seemed as if he was cooking and singing at the same time. Well, he was kind of singing. He seemed very unsure on what the words were cause he kept interchanging actual lyrics with 'la la la's and 'do do do's.

Despite that, he was very animated in movement despite his tone staying fairly even. Just like-

"Brother!" Xieren whispered, excited to know his favorite person was nearby. So close and-

"Hello?" The man turned around, not facing Xieren but his profile clear in the lantern's glow. Xieren felt his heart break at the sight.

Shao Liang Fei. The most hateful and horrid person, his Shizun, was somehow also his most favorite.


	14. That's supposed to be mine

Liang Fei listened as the person outside the window ran away, their light footsteps echoing in the hall. It must have been one of the disciples but he didn't care too much about it. He felt no need to hide his activity. He just hoped they wouldn't get sick from the rain.

"Please come out." He said, turning toward the door. While his attention was on the person outside the window, he hadn't missed the person outside the door. Though this person didn't bother to try and hide themselves at all.

"Junior brother." Zhihao said, casually walking into the kitchen as if he wasn't snooping about. He'd seen the light coming from the kitchen and had to find out who was cooking so late. Who knew it'd be this guy.

"What brings you out so late?" Liang Fei asked, turning back to his cooking. The brew he made was a thick soup that smelled delicious to any close enough to take it in. Even Zhihao was near drooling at the scent.

"I could ask the same of you." He replied, drawing closer. As expected, the kitchen was a mess, the counters covered in flour and other ingredients. From the corner of his eye, he spotted some hot spices and picked one up. "I didn't know you were the type to cook."

Liang Fei (the original) was a spoiled and rich brat, never having even entered a kitchen before, let alone cook. To see this man, who had once scoffed at the notion of having to eat with others, cooking so casually, was shocking to say the least.

"My time in seclusion was time well spent." He replied vaguely, reaching over to take the spice bottle from Zhihao. "Cultivation is but one of the many things one must learn in order to live a comfortable life."

"You sound like a mother trying to sell off their daughter." He replied, snickering with amusement. "Surely you aren't thinking of becoming someone's wife, are you?"

"No, I doubt that would make anyone happy." He replied back, trying to imagine such a thing. "Perhaps I can surprise my future spouse with my skills?"

"Oh? So you do plan on marrying?" He pushed, interested in the subject. Zhihao had never liked Liang Fei, seeing him as a useless and arrogant man but this man before him? He could see why Shuren was so fixated on him. He was interesting.

"I honestly never thought about it." He replied, sprinkling some of the spice into the soup. "I have many responsibilities to take care of so I doubt I could make any woman happy." He stated, his eyes dimming a bit.

From a young age, he'd always had something else to do. Whether it was picking up his little sister from school or helping out around the house or even just working, he rarely had any free time. It was why he valued his time with Xuetian so much, despite how annoying he could be at times.

It was those few hours of levity that made the soul crushing weight of all that he had to deal with bearable when his hope was used up.

Seeing the sadness in his posture, Zhihao panicked a little, unsure what he'd done wrong. Desperate to ease the tension, the older man slapped him on the back, a friendly smile gracing his handsome face.

"H-hey now, no need to doubt yourself, junior brother." He said, thinking about Shuren. "Why limit yourself to only women?" He said, immediately wanting to throw himself from a cliff. Why had he said that!? Was he trying to imply something?

What if the man took offense and challenged him? That's what he'd do in the same situation. Moreover, to say such a thing after thinking of his best friend/brother, Zi Shuren?!

He was still hoping there was time to save that man from his strange fixation!

Missing the panic in Zhihao's expression, Liang Fei turned to him, frowning with confusion.

"Are there other options?" He asked, as if the notion of another option had never even occurred to him. Seeing that innocent reply, Zhihao felt like a monster, almost sullying this pure little thing. What had that man (SR) turned him into?

"Just... Just forget I said anything." He sighed, resting a hand on Liang Fei's shoulder. He swore in his heart, he'd protect this pure creature before him. He refused to let anyone, even his brother, stain this man with the brush of deviancy.

Confused, Liang Fei let the thought slip from his mind, not really caring either way. Turning back to the soup, he went for another spice bottle.

"What are you making anyway?" Zhihao asked, his heart firm with determination. The smell coming from the brew was heavenly.

"Soup." He replied, not looking up. Zhihao felt his eye twitch.

"...I-I can see that but what kind of soup?" He tried again, figuring there might be a misunderstanding.

"Hm...Just soup." He answered, still cooking as if alone, though he was noticeable more quiet than before. No humming.

"I know that but..." He stopped noticing some of the herbs floating in the soup. "Are those pure spring leaves?" Liang Fei nodded, adding more herbs in. "And River Lilies? Aren't those Qi cleansers?"

"Un, I read that there were herbs that helped circulate and purify the qi in cultivators so I chose to use them in my soup." He explained, reaching over for something else. "My disciples have terrible circulation."

"And they are only really effective on low level cultivators so they are ideal for younger disciples." Zhihao said, mostly to himself. While it was not the best kept 'secret', most cultivators were unaware of this since they mostly focused on collecting healing herbs as opposed to anything else. "You've been serving them this?"

"Yes, but no one's eaten it." He said, his eyes furrowing sadly. He'd gone through so much trouble stealin- borrowing these herbs from Zhihao, so why had no one even tried it yet?

"How come?" The older man couldn't imagine why they would avoid such a delicious smelling brew. Even now, he wished he could sneak a sip of the soup.

"No clue." He replied, shaking some spicy powder into the soup. Zhihao watched, curious about the soup. Such a nice looking soup should be flying into students bowls. So why...

Why was he still shaking that bottle?!

Watching Liang Fei continue to shake the powder into the soup, Zhihao felt his heart drop. That spice, he knew very well. It was spicy enough that just a single shake could make a brew near impossible to consume and yet... he was still going!!

Watching in horror, Zhihao saw the once pleasant and normal soup transform into a mass of future screams and agony, it's bright red color bringing with it dread. It was too late to save it.

The red pot soup...

Zhihao had heard about it, a soup so spicy it was impossible to even take a bite. Yet this man so casually made it, as if it wasn't even an issue.

Shao Liang Fei was too strange.

Or perhaps he was just as cruel and evil as some disciples whispered he was, to make the most beneficial brew for a young cultivator near inedible. Either way, the deed had been done and he'd just have to hope the disciples can survive breakfast without dying.

"So now that the food is done, mind explaining why you are here?" He asked, watching the man carefully place the pot with the other premade food.

"I was just cooking." He replied, walking toward the door. "Children need a balanced and healthy meal to grow up strong and capable." Zhihao was a bit confused by the wording, but could kind of understand what he was talking about.

"I understand all that but to do it yourself?" Liang Fei cocked a brow.

"Who else but me would do it?" He asked, watching this senior brother stare at him wide eyed. His expression was blank but inside he briefly wondered if perhaps he'd said something wrong.

All the while, Zhihao felt his heart itch, feeling a sense of protectiveness toward this... simple and sweet person before him. He definitely had to protect him from those who wanted to corrupt him.

But first.

"Before you go," He said, stopping him at the door. While his back was to the older man, he could feel the glare burning a hole through his neck. "May I ask where you learned about these herbs, junior. All of the relevant information on them were in my study so..."

Liang Fei flinched, feeling fearful for the first time since transmigrating.

***

"Bro!? Hey, Brother Xieren, wake up!"

Xieren groaned as the sound of knocking ripped him from his slumber. Not that it was much of one. He'd spent the night trying to wrap his mind around the revelation about Shizun.

Brother Tankian.

Shizun.

How could they be the same person?!

While it made sense in some ways, he couldn't fathom how the kind and gentle Tankian was the same Shizun who neglected and mistreated him over the years. It didn't make sense and just thinking about it gave him a major headache.

"Bro? You awake?!" Xuejie called out from the other side of the door.

Xieren scowled, his eyes clenched tight. His headache had run through the night and that person's knocking wasn't helping!

"Just give me a minute!" He shouted back, surprising both him and Xuejie . Xieren didn't yell often. Yelling drew attention and him being as weak as he was, couldn't afford attention. And yet...

After a few minutes of fumbling about, Xieren got dressed and met the young man waiting outside his door.

"Morn... Wow, you look terrible." Xuejie stated, looking Xieren up and down. "Are you okay?"

Xieren knew what he looked like. His eyes were red and puffy from absolutely NOT crying himself to sleep. His hair was messy cause he hadn't bothered to brush it and his clothes were a little wet from the night before.

All in all, he looked a mess.

"...I'm just tired." He grumbled, walking past him.

"I see." Xuejie looked doubtful but went along with it, following behind Xieren happily. "Well lucky for us, it's early enough for us to get some food so that should help." He said, changing the subject since he saw there was no point in asking anymore.

Xieren said nothing, letting Xuejie walk beside him. While he wasn't completely trusting toward him, he felt no ill will from him so he wasn't as wary as he usually was.

Sensing this, Xuejie couldn't help but perk up, happy to have been somewhat accepted by this person.

"Hopefully, we can get some food before everyone else." He sighed. "I'd hate to be stuck with red pot only."

Mentioning that, Xieren's mind drifted back to night before. Tank- no, Shizun was cooking last night, wasn't he? What did he make?

Not that he wanted to try it or anything. He was just curious because in all their time together, Shizun had never cooked for him personally. It was always food from stalls. A chance to eat something made personally by him was...

Xuejie had been talking about other things, mostly how his lessons had been going when he turned to Xieren. At the boy's expression, he paled, scared what thoughts could be circling his mind.

Why was stone faced and cold hearted protagonist smiling so cutely!?

Fearful in his heart, Xiejie remained silent, both scared of the look and of interrupting that happiness.

Fearful and quiet, Xuejie walked to the dining hall beside Xieren. The whole trip, Xieren thought about what his Shizun could have possibly made and if it tasted good.

Not that he cared or anything.

Upon arrival, the smell of everyone else hit him like a wall. Years of practice kept him from covering his nose but he couldn't help but grimace.

He really disliked the scent of other people. Even when clean, they smelled foul, like ill intent and apathy.

At least, that's what he assumed the scent was. His senses had improved slightly from the day before. It wasn't much but it was enough for him to want to leave the room.

Seeing Xieren's smile fall, Xuejie felt his heart ache. While the sight of a smiling Xieren made him fear for his sanity, seeing that smile fade made him feel depressed.

Such an amazing person shouldn't look that gloomy.

"H-hey bro, there's no need to look so down." He tried to reassure him, pounding his chest. "Worry not, this big brother shall get you some food. Just go and sit with Xiao Yi." He gently pushed him toward their usual table, where Xinyi was sitting.

She was surrounded by young men trying to get her attention. Seeing her like that, Xieren walked over, not really thinking about what the young man had said at all. He couldn't be bothered to argue that he was clearly older than Xuejie.

"Ah Yi." He called out, a bit worried since she rarely looked annoyed and yet she was openly frowning as the young men spoke to her.

Upon arrival, the young men trying to catch Xinyi's eye were shocked to see her turn instead toward the pathetic waste that was Xieren. With a smile that set aflame every young man's (save for Xieren) heart, she called back.

"Ah Ren! I was waiting for you." She stood up, moving past the other boys to hug Xieren. In the past, Xieren barely made it past her chest, so he was usually smothered by her breast and would have to fight for freedom. This time however, he was just past her shoulder, capable of looking over it to see the young men glare hatefully at him.

 _Did he get taller?_  Xinyi briefly wondered, confused but generally unfazed by the change. Xieren was weird in general so perhaps all his eating had made him grow.

Sensing some tension, Xinyi turned back to the young men, her smile seeping into their hearts and directing their attention to her.

"As I said before, thank you very much for you offer, Shixiong but as you can see," She started, her tone sweet and wistful. She gently pushed Xieren past them and onto a bench. "I am not lonely at all. Perhaps some other time, we can dine together."

Like a gust of wind, their mood plummeted, her rejection clear. Still, they were determined to sit with this lovely flower.

"Why sit with that waste when you can sit with us." One young man countered, taking a step forward. Both targets remained in place, neither truly fearful or wary, just annoyed. Xinyi sighed, wanting the matter to be over.

"About that, I-" She started only to be interrupted by Xieren.

"I might be a waste but at least I can tell when I'm unwanted." The young man's expression turned black, anger at his insinuation drawing the ire of all involved.

"What did you say?!" He shouted, drawing most of the other disciples eyes. Before this point they were content to feign ignorance of what was happening but it was hard t ignore shouts. "How dare you-"

"Shixiong, please, there's no need to get heated." Xinyi interrupted, standing between the two. While the young man was clearly heated, she knew he wouldn't touch her. "It's early and the time to eat is limited."

The young man, hearing this, sneered, thinking he'd won.

"You hear that, you mongrel!" He mocked. "Even the kind and generous Xinyi won't defend you."

"And yet she still prefers my company to yours." He countered, ignoring the aggrieved Xinyi beside him.

"You!" He took a step forward, about to do something but was stopped by a single hand on his chest. It was some other guy, probably friends with him but was unknown to Xieren.

(AN: Bask in my excellent writing skills~)

"Enough!" He said, standing between them. He gave Xieren and Xinyi a dismissive look before turning to his companion, annoyed. "I can't believe you are wasting time arguing with a child. Have you no shame?"

"B-but-"

"What would Master Guying say if he saw such a display?"

It was then that the young men paled, thinking of their master and how he'd react if he heard about them bothering another disciple. While Liang Fei was known as a lackadaisical master, Ye Guying was a harsh and strict master. Comparing the two, many wished for Liang Fei's lazy method as opposed to Guying's method.

Without another word, the group left, glowering at Xieren as he was still being held by Xinyi. The girl in question sat down, sighing with relief.

"Gah, that was so bothersome!" She whined, laying her head on the table. Xieren sat beside her, happy to see her less stressed. But she then turned to glower at him. "Ah Ren, what was that?!"

"What was what?" He blinked, confused.

"That!" Xinyi pointed to the direction of their would be harassers. "Why did you rile them up? They could have hurt you."

"Not if you're here."

"But what if I wasn't?" She argued. They both knew he was weak and she was not a fighter. Had he been alone and said those things... Xinyi felt her heart clench at the thought of her friend getting hurt because of her.

"I'd still do it." He replied, looking away. "They were bothering you."

"They always do."

"That doesn't mean I'll just leave you to deal with it. I don't want to see you sad.

"And I don't want to see you hurt." She retorted, staring into his one visible eye. Neither looked away, both firm in their belief. After a minute, a bubble of laughter erupted between them. While Xinyi was the only one laughing, she could tell from his slight smile that he too was amused.

"...We're both idiots, aren't we?" He huffed, shaking his head.

"It would seem so." But we idiots should stick together, right?

"Un." He nodded, a bit happier than he was that morning. Xinyi was a good person, someone he could trust just a little bit. In his heart, the event strengthen his bond of feelings toward the girl.

In another world, perhaps this would lead to him being willing to give his heart to her. But by this point, their relationship had already solidified into a lasting friendship and this even only chipped away the the few stones still clinging to its glossy surface.

Just then, Xuejie arrived, arms packed with food. His smile was full of ease and glee.

"Oh hey, what did I miss?"

***

The rest of the morning went fairly smoothly. They ate together, though the only food left was Red Pot Soup. Xinyi and Xiejie were horrified but Xieren was ecstatic.

It was the same ominously red but delicious soup from the previous morning.

Much to everyone's surprise, he took the large bowl and began to eat, happily taking it in. Strangely, it was just as spicy but it didn't bother him as much.

In fact, the spice appealed to him very much.

Unaware of the gazed he was getting, he continued to enjoy his meal while Xinyi pouted. She tried to get to share, even trying to bribe him with his usual favorite food. Tempted as he was, he felt no desire to share, even with her.

After giving him a pouty look, Xieren reluctantly went over to get a bowl for her. The kitchen ladies were stingy at best but had no reason to reject him. No one was eating the soup so whether it was one or twenty bowls, at least it wasn't going to waste.

With great difficulty, the two ate the soup, one a lot more happily than the other but both satisfied at the end.

Such a nice meal is what allowed him to prepare himself for the stress of seeing Shizun again. His heart in his throat, he watched as the man directed them into their groups. Even as he spoke, Xieren couldn't help but pout.

Why?

Cause he was being so nice!

"I heard some of you did well in your lessons a while ago." He said, looking over the crowd. "I'm very proud of you."

"Not the rest of us?" Someone called out, their voice meek and nearly swallowed by the faint chatter. Liang Fei walked over and rested a hand on that person, a young man older than Xieren but not by much, head. The sight alone brought a scowl to Xieren's face.

He was patting other people!? After all he'd done and how long it took, this person got one just by existing!?

The disciples around him shivered, unsure where their baleful glare was coming from but feeling it's aura consume their courage. No one had the guts to move even an inch at that moment.

All the while, the source of the malicious glare remained focused on their master, who continued on as if nothing was happening at all. Why?

Cause he didn't even notice.

"Shizun is proud of all of you." He assured him, looking over all of them. He didn't think much about the children sweating toward the back. Perhaps they were just nervous, so he tried to reassure them. "If anyone of you need help, please don't hesitate to ask either me or your group leaders. Understood?"

"Yes, Master Shao!"

"Now onto our lessons." The children ran off, going to their respective groups and starting their lesson. Those near the protagonist, hearing a reprieve, wasted no time running away, still too scared to look upon the face that held them immobile with a glare alone. They were young and had so much going for them. Why court death by being too curious?

Only Xieren remained standing where he was, glaring at the ground. Just as Liang Fei was about to ask him, the boy spoke.

"Shizun!" He called out, looking up at the man with an gleam in his eye.

"Yes?"

"I won't lose." He proclaimed, his gaze intense and fierce as he bowed and ran to his group. Liang Fei stared after him, a bit confused but a little happy.

His adorable student Xieren had finally spoken to him. It was a good first step to making him a better cultivator. His only concern was that look that made him a little sad.

He was glad to see the child so determined and willing to prove himself but must his eyes be so intense? Liang Fei knew he was hated but surely he could learn to reign it in just a little? It was sad to be so disliked.


	15. Juice

Xieren went to his group, his eyes on the ground but focused on Shizun. While the man looked over his students, Xieren made sure to observe him, wanting to see if he could find Tankian within the man.

Sure, his voice and the songs belonged to that man alone but surely there was some other explanation. Despite that endeavor, a large part of him knew that they were one and the same. Wanted it to be true. Because otherwise, he knew he’d never see his favorite person again.

At this moment, his favorite person was walking among all the groups, watching the older disciples guide the younger ones, giving advice when needed and casually praising them when he saw their hard work and progress.

With every kind word and gentle head pat, Xieren’s mood blackened until once again, the others around him started to feel scared and remained silent.

Why was there such a scary person in our group! They cried within their hearts.

When Liang Fei arrived to Xieren’s group, he saw how quiet and diligently they worked and felt a surge of pride. It was very hard to keep children quiet when learning, even as the years go by so he was very impressed by it.

Had he known it was purely due to Xieren’s malicious aura, he might have thought better of calling him sweet and adorable.

Smiling in his heart, he rested a hand on the group leaders shoulder to praise him for keeping his group quiet. The young man hadn’t even noticed and didn’t think he’d done anything but stilled preened under the man’s praise.

“T-thank you, Master Shao!” He said, bowing to Liang Fei as he walked off. Still feeling all fluffy and warm inside, he turned back to his group, only to find a sea of pale faces. “Eh? What are you guys looking so scared of? Scared Master Shao likes me more? Well-”

He would have continued but then then felt something hit him, making him freeze in place. It was scary, making him want to run and hide. Something was watching him. He tried to find the source but his attention only fell on the small waste in the back, raising a hand and giving a small smile.

“Perhaps Shixiong should continue the lesson before Shizun finds fault in his disciples gloating as opposed to teaching as they are suppose to.” He advised, his tone cold and tight, his single gold eye burning with dislike for the people around him

The lesson continued, though Xieren’s mood continued to get worse. Liang Fei, blissfully unaware, continued to pet his students, overjoyed at seeing them slowly get better. When his eyes did find Xieren, the intensity of his glare made him miss the time they’d spent together as brothers.

He very much wanted to see the child smile but he couldn’t play favorites.

Later, as they went about their run, Liang Fei looked over the crowd and called out to them.

“Alright, since we didn’t get to do our run yesterday, I’ll be adding another 3 laps to our usual run.” He stated, ignoring the resulting groan. He hadn’t expected any different to he let the complaint go. “No need to rush but everyone must complete their set, understood?”

“Yes!” With a nod, Liang Fei blew air from between his fingers, letting out a piercing whistle. The first time he’d done it, his students jumped, not knowing where the sound had come from. Now, weeks into this regime, they were used to it and knew what it meant.

As usual, Liang Fei lead the run. Not only cause he wanted the exercise himself but to properly monitor their progress, making himself the goal as opposed to a flag or something.

(AN: I don’t know the official means of telling time so I’m just going with hours and minutes, K?)

About a half hour in, those who had started out in the front were slowing down, taking the slow-and-steady route as opposed to those who had started out and were now rushing ahead. The dynamic would switch over the course of the run so Liang Fei didn’t comment.

He did, however, look back and comment at the single disciple who managed to keep up with him.

“It’s you once again, Xieren.” He called out, spinning around to run backwards. The little one was jogging almost defiantly, keeping up but still panting. Liang Fei was impressed, though his face remained static. “For someone who was sick just a day ago, I’m impressed you have kept up with me two days in a row.”

Liang Fei, due to his high level cultivation skill as well as his previous experience, had no problem running for long periods of time, so he had lapped his students at least 2 times before they reached their second lap. Both days, Xieren was the black horse, keeping the man in his sights and not letting him out of it.

Xieren, unwilling, preened under the praise, wanting to get close and receive the head pat he clearly deserved more than any of those other people! Instead, he just called out.

“Xieren refuses to lose to anyone!” He watched Liang Fei cock a brow in a way that made him seem amused.

“I see. Then allow me to not treat you like a child then.” He said, facing forward again and speeding up, shocking the child. Xieren determined not to lose to this man, sped up as well, trying his best to keep up. Much to everyone’s shock, while he was still some distance away from Liang Fei, he was never out of sight, even as he became smaller and smaller.

Xieren gritted his teeth and tried harder, pushing his body more. The sight of Shizun’s form getting farther away was painful. He didn’t want the man to go so far away. He didn’t want his favorite person to leave him behind.

Wiping at the tears that he refused to let fall, the child failed to notice the obstacle in his way until he tripped and fell, hitting the ground hard.

As his consciousness quickly faded, he could hear Shizun calling out to him, his tone concerned and panicked.

Xieren was kind of happy to know he was the source of the change.

***

Xieren dreamt of dark places and panicked voices. They were all talking but he couldn’t understand them, all the words overlapping one another. A single voice, female, called out to him, asking that he just live, if nothing else, live freely.

He wanted so much to see the source of that calm and sweet voice, feeling love and warmth from her in ways he had always dreamed. It was like being swathed by the sun.

Even as he begged for the voice to remain with him, her voice began to fade, the panicked voices getting louder as screams replaced her once calm voice.

Then he was left in darkness.

There was no sound or light, but he knew he was not alone. He could feel the glares of foes unseen watching him, waiting for their chance. Xieren wanted to harden his heart, to ensure they didn’t seep into him. Yet he could already feel them trying to burrow in, finding the cracks in his armor.

He wanted to scream but knew that doing so would only lead to his demise.

Just as he was about to give up, he heard something. The something was faint but it was something. Just as he took notice to it, it got louder. A melody that was calm as the woman’s voice but deeper.

He could faintly hear the crackling of a nearby fire accompanying the melody, giving Xieren a sense of warmth that chased the bitter cold away. He followed that melody, not wanting to let it slip away.

As he followed, the darkness faded, chasing away those entities who wanted his body and soul. They could find no more cracks and fled.

Xieren opened his eyes, the first sight greeting him was the leaves of a tall tree. At first, he could only see the leaves shake as the bratches swayed in the unheard wind, his hearing having not caught up just yet. Slowly, to him, the world of sound returned to him, gracing him with the whistle of the wind.

And a hummed melody.

Looking over, Xieren found himself lying on the grass beneath a tree with Liang Fei sitting beside him. The man’s gaze was on a book in his lap, his attention steady and firm on the words contained within.

Yet, as usual, he couldn’t help but hum to himself. Xieren briefly wondered how the man could hum a melody and yet remain focused on the words in front of him at the same time.

(AN: I know I can’t do that.)

Just then, Liang Fei noticed he was awake and turned to him, closing the book.

“Ah, you're awake.” He placed the book down and turned to help Xieren sit up.

“Shizun.” Xieren looked around, seeing they were back to their starting point, Shizun’s courtyard. The man had his own area that overlooked most of the sect. Due to his contribution and the reputation of his family, he was allowed to have an entire courtyard to himself. “What…”

“You tripped over a rock and fell.” He explained, missing the flush of embarrassment that was evident on Xieren’s face. The young boy was mortified.

He’d tripped?! And of course Shizun would just casually say it rather than give Xieren just a little face.

“I-I see.” He mumbled, covering his face. “This disciples thanks Shizun for-”

“Honestly, I was pretty shocked since it was a very obvious rock so you shouldn’t have missed it.” He continued, really not knowing when to stop. “Perhaps you just weren't paying attention?”

(AN: No, it was the dastardly, Rocky the rock! An antagonist featured in everything from anime to horror movies. Hence the cameo here.)

“Please stop….” Xieren begged, curling up with embarrassment.

“Ah, so you admit to not paying attention?” He asked, his brow cocked curiously.

“N-no, I was but-” His excused was cut off by Liang Fei.

“A proper cultivator keeps track of his surroundings.” He stated, his tone gentle yet firm. Had he been the original, he’d have been mocking the boy but somehow, Xieren knew Shizun wasn’t being serious. Especially when he continued. “He doesn’t trip over rocks. Even as spectacularly as you.”

“Shizun is too mean!” He whined, really wanted to make the man stop teasing him. Seeing his distress, Liang Fei sighed, wishing he could pet him.

Unfortunately, he was ‘Shao Liang Fei’ now so he couldn’t pet the child. But could do the closest thing. He used his book to gently hit Xieren on the head, gaining his attention once more.

“But I’m glad you weren't’ hurt.” He said, letting out a breath. Looking up at the man, Xieren saw his earnest concern and felt his hatred just the slightest bit. His Shizun…

“...Shizun really is too much.” He mumbled, hiding his red face in his hands. His Shizun can’t be this...nice~

“Am I?” He asked, confused at the response. Had he said something wrong? Mentally shrugging it off, he stood up. “Then perhaps I shouldn’t share any juice with you.”

“…’Juice’?” Xieren echoed, unfamiliar with the word. Never had he heard of the word yet it sounded so natural when Shizun said it.

“Un, I made some juice for everyone.” He said moving out of sight. Seconds later, a large block of ice was pushed forward, bringing with it many questions.

Not about the block of ice. Shizun was an ice elemental so it wouldn’t be strange for him to have made it. It was everything else about the block. In the center was a crudely dugout hole filled with cups.

The questions were about the cups themselves. Moving closer, he took one, curious about them. Sniffing it, Xieren unconsciously let out a sigh, feeling relaxed by the minty scent. He turned back to Shizun.

“This is ‘juice’?” He asked, taking one for Shizun as well. They sat back down and watched as some of the disciples passed them by. He waited until Shizun drank, still a bit wary even as his instincts told him the drink would be fine.

“Kind of.” He replied vaguely, taking a sip. “I had to make do with what I had so it’s a little different.” Liang Fei really did want to make juice but the ingredients he stole- found!- in Zhihao’s pantry weren’t anything he was familiar with so he just winged it. So far, he’d only managed to make something vaguely lemonade-y so until he could learn more, it’d have to do.

Xieren wasn’t sure himself what he meant but seeing that Shizun hadn’t died drinking it (and the fact it smelled nice too), he took a sip as well.

It was sweet and minty and nice~

In unison, they both let out a breath, though only Xieren was happy. Liang Fei was just disappointed he failed to make the juice he was used to.

(AN: You know, the one that’s 70% sugar and will probably kill you in 20 years.)

As they relaxed under the tree, Xieren tried to resolve the issues in his heart and mind. Knowing that Tankian and Shizun were the same was hard to fathom. On one hand, Shizun is Shizun, so he was a bastard but then again, Shizun was also Tankian, who was his favorite person.

The thought that they were both the same person, gave him a migraine.

He sang like Tankian and shared the same pretty violet eyes as him. The notion that the original never had violet eyes never occurred to the child since the two rarely met. The only thing missing was the scent.

Turning to him, he noted that Shizun still had his Shizun scent, the one that smelled of earth and spring water, not the Tankian scent. He was sad the scent was gone but there was little he could do.

“Did you eat breakfast?” Shizun asked, noting that Xieren had stopped eating, opting to now stare intensely at him. The pout was cute but he’d rather not be stared at so intensely. It was kind of scary.

Just then, Xieren remembered something from before. The Soup from before. The red pot was the same as the soup he’d woke up to. The soup left by the person who cared for him when he was sick.

He wanted to ask so many questions, wanting to reveal that he knew Shizun was Tankian but he couldn’t get the words out. Before, they were on somewhat equal footing, allowing him to say what he wished and to be answered in kind. But things were different now.

They were no longer Tankian and Xieren.

Sadly, he put the thought of telling him his discovery. Whether Shizun was the one to care for him or not, he knew he’d deny it. Shizun was his Master, not his friend. He was probably annoyed by him, being so clingy. With a sad pout, he went back to his ‘juice’.

“Does Shizun like spicy food?” He finally asked, unable to remain silent for much longer. Liang Fei was just confused, not sure why he’d been asked. Then he thought of the soup he’d made. Perhaps he was curious about the soup.

“Me? No, not really but it is what I’m more used to eating.” He explained, taking a sip. “So I don’t dislike it.”

“Someone made it for you?” He asked, curious since he hadn’t expected an answer at all.

“No, I usually made it for someone else.” He shook his head. Again, Xieren was shocked.

“Shizun cooks?” He’d never heard that. He knew very little about Shizun but he knew the man was from an honorable family. Did people from noble clans cook for others usually?

“That person was terrible at cooking so who else but I could?” He replied, a bit amused. He’d always used to cook for his little sister since she was a disaster in the kitchen. She’d burn pots and then bawl her eyes out when smoke came from her creations.

To get her to eat the food he’d made, which was terrible at first, he had to mask the taste with peppers and spices, so she grew to prefer spicy food to anything else. Since they ate together, he too had to eat the spicy food, so it’d just become a habit to make food that way. Even friends commented on his taste.

He’d just recite the phrase his sister had always said. ‘If it doesn’t feel like your tongue wants to curl up and die, it isn’t spicy enough.’

Seeing the distant look in his eyes, Xieren began to regret asking about it.

“D-do you care for that person?” He asked before he could stop himself. The answer he got was just what he expected but was not what he wanted.

“More than anything in the world.” He replied, staring up at the cloudless sky. His tone low and sad. “But that person is lost me so perhaps it’s wishful thinking to continue to as I am.”

Xieren was somewhat happy to hear this person was perhaps not around but couldn’t help but also feel guilty. He disliked hearing Shizun talk so affectionately about another but felt bad at feeling glee. Shizun was clearly saddened by the distance so to take joy in it was horrendous.

“I’m sorry to hear that.” He mumbled, looking away. “I’ve never lost anyone like that so… I have no words to give.” Liang Fei, seeming to have returned to the present blinked at the child and let out a groan.

“Ah, look at me, venting to a child.” He sighed, scratching his head with exasperation. “Please forgive this master for showing such a shameless display.”

“I’m not upset!” He proclaimed, truly happy beyond words. He hadn’t thought about it much but to be someone Shizun trusted enough to tell his feelings to was a good feeling. Like he was being relied upon. “I promise not to tell anyone!”

“As your master, it’s shameful to place my burdens upon you.” He said, trying to explain himself. Liang Fei hadn’t expected he’d do such a thing. He was usually fairly quiet about his own problems, keeping them inside as to not be a bother to others.

To have been so honest with this child was… surprising to say the least.

“It’s not a problem!” Xieren continued to insist, staring up at Liang Fei. “If Shizun has any concerns, please feel free to ‘vent’ to this disciple! He practically begged, wanting to be of use. “This disciple won’t tell a soul!”

To be the sole person Shizun bares his concerns to… He refused to share this with anyone. This would be his alone.

Liang Fei, seeing that Xieren refused to let this go just sighed and gave up trying to talk him out of it. At that moment, he realized that this little one was stubborn. Way more than he’d ever thought.

Whether the trait was a positive one or negative, he’d later learn to just give in to Xieren’s demands since it saved him a lot of stress.

“That doesn’t really help but thank you for your words.” He sighed, drinking his juice. “Now finish your juice, you need your energy.”

“Yes!” Xieren was happy. Shizun hadn’t technically said no so that was as good as a yes, right? Surely that was the case. Just as he was basking in the happy fluffy cloud, reality crashed into his paradise.

The others had finally finished their laps.

“Ah, your classmates have finally arrived.” Liang Fei said, finishing his juice and standing up.   
“Go serve the drinks while I get everything else.” Before he could get a response, Liang Fei left, leaving Xieren alone to greet the other disciples.

Xieren was very reluctant to do so, since he generally disliked everyone save for a few. To serve them drinks was distasteful but…

Shizun had asked him to…

With a bubble of happiness erupting in his heart, he went over to get the drinks. All the cups were resting in a hole dug into the ice, keeping them cool despite the heat. The hole itself was crude and jagged, as if a blunt object was used to dig into it as opposed to the block being formed with the hole.

(AN: The return of El kabong! Perhaps one day, he’ll use the sword as something other than an blunt object.)

He couldn’t be sure but despite his fellow disciples disliking him, they all seemed happy to see him. It was probably because he was there holding a cold drink meant for them after a long run but Xieren was happy to have these bastards near subservient to him even as he served them. The look of relief and gratitude evident on their face as he presented the cup was enough to almost make him smile.

Almost.

Just as the last person got their drink, Shizun returned, in his hands was a tray of something sweet smelling. Xieren wasn’t sure what it was but everyone else seemed to. Rushing over, they circled about him, begging for a treat.

“Students! Be good and wait your turn.” He gently scolded, though everyone got noticeable more quiet. “Line up and you’ll get one.

Immediately, everyone got in line, from the youngest to the oldest, all obediently following his instructions. Xieren was curious but not daring enough to try and get a treat. Those around were bound to try and steal his treat.

After some time, everyone got a treat and went back to a spot to relax. Frowning, Xieren wondered why everyone was just sitting around in Shizun’s courtyard.

“Hey, bro!” Just then, Xuejie ran up to him, covered in sweat and smiling from ear to ear. “Did you get a candy?”

“Candy?” Xieren frowned with confusion.

“A sweet treat?”

“Ah! No, not yet.” He said, continuing to watch as Shizun walked back to his home.

“You should hurry then.” He insisted. “We only get them during break.”

“Break?” That was new.

“Yeah, Shizun always lets us have a break after we run.” He expliained, muching on his candy.

“So everyone just stays in this courtyard?” He grumbled, looking over the yard and seeing everyone just lounge about. Quickly, everyone was talking amoung themselves and relaxing. “Every day?”

“Un.” Xuejie nodded, not even noticing the glare the crowd was recieving.

“I see.”

Xuejie stared at Xieren, confused as to why this person was so bothered by that but shrugging it off. After Xieren got a ‘candy’, he too remained in the courtyard, wanting to recapture that pleasant moment he and Shizun had before.

It was hard to do with others being so noisy and annoying.

***

Over the next few days, Xieren took greater notice of Shizun and his actions. As told, their daily tasks were fairly consistent. They ate breakfast and then met Shizun in his courtyard where they did some simple exercises and then were split into groups. After that, they went for a 5 lap jog around the sect grounds followed by a hour long relaxation break.

During that time, most chose to either eat their lunch in the courtyard and talk or go elsewhere. Xuejie ran off to do whatever he did while Xieren spent that hour watching Shizun.

Shizun always remained in his courtyard, his eyes always on some book or scroll though he’d briefly look up if things got too loud. He watched over his disciples like a parent watching over his children.

Xieren was more interested in studying the man, trying to find the similarities between him and Tankian. Much to his chagrin, they were very much the same person.

He’d had some doubts but Shizun’s habits were the exact same as Tankian’s. The quiet humming when he was deep in thought, the tapping of his fingers to whatever melody was going through his head and the way his brows furrowed when he saw something he wasn’t familiar with.

This day, Shizun was talking with another disciple, helping them with whatever unimportant stuff they wanted. Watching from a distance, Xieren glared at that person, wanting them to burst into flames and get away from Shizun.

Not because he was upset but because when others were around, Shizun didn’t hum and Xieren very much liked the listen. The melodies were fun and unique, making him hum a few note himself when alone.

The time he spent listening to Shizun was his favorite throughout the day.

Yet now he had to listen to unimportant people nag Shizun instead. Watching them, the two disciples sat near Shizun’s feet, holding up a book to him.

“Shizun!” They called out, gaining his attention. “Shizun, do you know what this means?”

“Show me.” He replied, taking the book. After a moment of reading, his brows furrowed. Xieren recognized it as his confused face. “Music notes?”

“Yes, we have to learn these melodies for a test soon but we don’t know what this is.” One explained, looking concerned. They were clearly confused and in need of help but Xieren felt no pity for them, only annoyance.

Who doesn’t understand simple stuff like this?

“I can show you.” He grumbled, revealing himself to them. The two disciples looked shocked but quickly rolled their eyes.

“You know theses melodies?” One asked, clearly skeptical. The both knew that had Shizun not been there, less kind words would have been said. Not that Xieren cared any. Had Shizun not been around, he’d have never gotten involved at all.

“I do.” He replied vaguely. He actually knew most of the melodies, if not all of them. He’d memorized them before when he was looking through them to find the songs Tankian would hum. He never found a single one but wanted something to practice with so he could eventually play those melodies.

He never got around to trying though.

The two still looked unconvinced but Liang Fei was pleased. Xieren was reaching out to others! Such progress. To foster this was the job of a teacher so-

“Xieren, why don’t you show them how the play?” He suggested, missing the flinch that all three disciples displayed. “It’ll be good for you.”

Good for who?! All three of them thought in unison.

Truthfully, the two disciples did indeed need help but they wanted it to be from Liang Fei, otherwise they’d have just asked a senior. Yet Master had suggested they ask the waste?!

On the other hand, Xieren was pissed. He’d just wanted the two to go away. Thinking it over, he couldn’t say he’d gone about it the right way but still, he’d rather they not be around him either.

Unfortunately for them, their teacher was blissfully unaware of the tension between them and suggested they work together anyway.

Sighing, they walked off together, each of them unhappy.

Liang Fei was just happy to see his students helping one another and went back to his own reading.

Later on that day, Xieren found himself alone, as usual. The time now was used almost solely for chores so most of the disciples were scattered about. Xuejie worked in the kitchen and Xinyi worked with Elder Zhihao, so Xieren was alone.

He wasn’t happy about it though.

His mood was still sour from his ‘tutoring’ session. As expected, the two complained the whole time, even as he was earnestly trying to help. While he’d done so solely to get it done faster, neither seemed to care. As such, by the time their lesson had finished, break was over and they all had to leave for their formal lessons.

Since Xieren was a lower rank than everyone else, his lessons were just being sat in the library and told to read a book. Such a task was difficult for one who only knew a few words. He’d gotten better since Tankian had taught him to read more but it was dull in comparison. He’d rather be taught by him than just given a book to memorize.

Sighing, he leaned on his broom, looming over the lawn he’d been sweeping. He was close to done but the wind kept messing everything else. At this time, he wished he was a wind elemental so he could get it done faster. Unfortunately, his element was fire so no such luck.

If he was a higher rank, he could burn the leaves but his task was to collect them.

“Annoying~” He grumbled, scowling with satisfaction. But then something happened.

“Xieren, don’t slouch.” A voice called out, bringing with it both glee and unease. Turning, he saw Shizun walking over, his stride smooth and sophisticated. Xieren couldn’t help but admire it.

“Shizun.” He greeted, his tone a bit wary since he still wasn’t sure on his feelings yet. He felt at war with himself and the man in question showing up all the time didn’t help.

“Don’t slouch.” He repeated, walking closer. “Stand up straight, with pride. You are one of my students so don’t show yourself to be lesser.”

Xieren nodded, not completely understanding but wanting to make the conversation go forward. He doubted Shizun would let the matter go until he agreed. He was curious as to why he was being sought out.

Satisfied, Liang Fei turned to the side, revealing another disciple standing behind him. The young man looked tired and uncomfortable, as if he didn’t want to be there. Shuffling about, the boy looked at anything but the two people in front of him.

Xieren wasn’t sure who this person was but for Shizun to bring him, there must be a reason. That reason was revealed when Shizun pushed him forward.

“I think you have something to say, Fan Qui.” He said, standing beside the young man. Fan Qui remained silent, clearly not wanting to stay silent. “Or perhaps you wish to return to copying manual…”

“N-no, I’ll say it!” He cried, looking reluctant but stepping forward. With a aggrieved look on his face, he looked Xieren straight in the eyes and spoke. “I’m… I’m sorry about before.”

“Before?” Xieren had no clue what this kid was talking about. Who even was he?

“You are being too vague.” Liang Fei stated, miskaing the meaning of Xieren’s response. “Apologize properly.”

An Apology? Was that what this was? Xieren had never gotten one so he wasn’t sure but why was he apologizing?

Fan Qui, looking like he swallowed a lemon, bowed his head slightly and spoke once more.

“I’m sorry I insulted you and dismissed your earnest apology.” He said, louder and with more force. “It was wrong of me to do that.”

That’s when it hit him. He was the kid who’d mocked him for getting distracted after recovering from his cold. It’d been a while, so Xieren had forgotten about the incident. It was just one of many. But he received an apology.

Looking at at Shizun, he saw the man look over the scene with a satisfied gleam in his eyes. He’d clearly set this up.

“Good. Next I hear of you bothering others, you’ll be doing your apology in front of everyone, understood.” He said, staring down at Fan Qui, who sullenly nodded his head, staring at the ground.

“Now go and resume your chores.” He said, petting Fan Qui.

As the boy enjoyed his head pats, he felt a hot glare burn into his skull. Looking over, he saw Xieren’s less than happy face and chose to run away rather than continue to be glowered at.

Watched the child run off, Liang Fei didn’t think anything of it. Children were hard to predict and pretty wild so of course he’s just run off. Just as he was about to leave, Xieren spoke up.

“Shizun.” He called, looking annoyed. Liang Fei felt like sighing. Was he still disliked, even after getting his bully to apologize? Must he do more? “This disciple was diligently doing his chores.” He pointed out, pouting.

Liang Fei… wasn’t sure why he was being told this. Did he think of his intervention as a distraction from his chores? That made sense, he figured, proud of his mature young disciple.

“Than I won’t keep you from your task.” He said, turning to walk away. “But don’t forget to stand up straight.” Before another word couldn't be said, Liang Fei was gone, moving surprisingly fast despite just walking.

Thus, he left Xieren standing there, his frustration growing by the second. He’d wanted a head pat for his hard work but somehow, his hint had been ignored. Or perhaps Shizun had missed it?

Either way, he hadn’t gotten what he wanted even as the other disciple did! And so many others. Throughout the time he’d watched Shizun, the man casually gave out head pats with every complement.

Good job. Head pat.

Good job. Head pat.

Good job. Head pat.

Yet Xieren got none. Even when he did well, Shizun never touched him, not even a shoulder tap. He was the odd one out. Others had noticed it too. Other people might have gotten discouraged and give up but Xieren was not that kind of person.

He was a very stubborn and determined child.

He was going to get a head pat if it killed him!

“I’m just not working hard enough…” He said, standing up straight and proud, like Shizun had said.


	16. As time goes on

The days went on, becoming months and years until it had come to pass that Liang Fei had spent 4 years as a cultivator.

And he was tired.

Not from the students themselves, mind you. No, he loved them all. They were obedient and determined, making Liang Fei the envy of many of his fellow masters. His students were very diligent and respectful, greeting him with proper and enthusiastic cries.

Sometimes.

Many times, they would start to speak, go pale and run off for reasons he had yet to figure out. At those times, he felt like someone was watching him but whenever he turned to look, he was alone.

Furthermore, his students rarely came to him for help on anything anymore. Before, he'd assist those falling behind in their studies but after a while, no one came to him. It wasn't an issue, since he preferred his students to do well but it all stemmed from the same person.

The reason he was so damn tired despite not really having anything to do but read.

"Shizun!" A voiced called out from below. Liang Fei had taken up the habit of sitting in trees to read so he wouldn't be bothered when he desired privacy. It generally worked with everyone save for this one. "Shizun, I wish to spar with you today!"

Looking down from the tree, Liang Fei couldn't help but sigh at the sight. Xieren, formerly an adorable chubby thing had lost all his squishiness and matured somewhat. His face was more firm and sharp, with his blue black hair framing his handsome face.

Like he'd expected, the boy had grown up to be good looking. How envious this old man was.

A single gold eye glared up at the older man, waiting for a response. Anyone looking could tell that Liang Fei was the sole focus of this young man but why was anyone's guess. Everyone knew he was very antagonistic toward Liang Fei, spending all his time glaring at the man.

Such an intense gaze, how could anyone miss it?

Liang Fei, even as dense as he was, had noticed too. Seeing such a look, he felt very wronged, thinking he perhaps hadn't tried hard enough if this one child still saw him as a villain.

"Are you not tired from the run?" He sighed, putting away his book. It wasn't a reference guide but was interesting nonetheless.

"No." He proclaimed, standing firm. "I am full of energy!"

"Of course you are." He sighed, a bit bitterly. Xieren was always full of energy. Even when he increased the number of exercises, the child refused to be left behind, always ready for the next one. While it was fine to be so energetic, please think about the old man that has to keep up with you.

With a sigh, Liang Fei jumped down, his robes fluttering as he drifted to the ground. As time went on, Liang Fei began to change his wardrobe. He very much disliked all the colors the original preferred and began dressing more conservatively.

The sect colors were Gray and blue so he tossed aside anything that wasn't those colors. He did briefly wonder why the original had all these colors to begin with but tossed the thought aside later since he figured it didn't matter anyway.

How was he to know that those 'garish' colors were that of his own family's clan?

He'd received letters about the matter after it was reported but Liang Fei being the recluse he was, failed to notice them and went on about his day. After a while, no one bothered to even give him the letters, preferring his current look to his previous one.

Xieren especially liked it, spending the entire day staring at Shizun. When he was finally pushed to speak, the only thing he could get out was:

"Shizun smells really nice."

Liang Fei wasn't sure what to say to that, so he just nodded. He wasn't expecting that and had only been told he smelled clean.

Back to the present, Xieren was having a similar experience, staring as Shizun gracefully landed and brushed his hair aside. While the moment only lasted a few seconds, for him, it went on for a long time.

Leaves from tree fell, giving the scene a ethereal look about it, as if Shizun was a mythical creature that had chosen to grace the world with his presence, bringing with it a good feeling to all who witnessed it. His long hair shimmered in the sunlight, drawing the attention of anyone who witnessed the sight. But the most wondrous part was his eyes, gazing at him with a cool but pleasant sheen.

Those beautiful eyes gazing only on him.

Xieren was in a daze, staring wistfully at the older man who walked closer. The young man couldn't move, his heart racing as the man drew closer, his eyes still only on him.

"Xieren!?" Liang Fei called out, slightly louder than usual as the boy continued to stand there dazed. He wasn't sure what distracted him but it was worrisome how often he seemed to day dream.

"Gyah!" Xieren cried, snapping out his daze and stepping back, only to trip over a rock and roll down the small hill they stood on. As Xieren tried recover some of his dignity by brushing himself off, Liang Fei walked down to meet him.

"Ah! There you go again, tripping on nothing." He said, his arms crossed over his chest. Looking down at the child, Liang Fei couldn't help but feel worried. "How is one of my best disciples so clumsy?"

Xieren wanted to curl up at die, having embarrassed himself in front of Shizun. This was not part of his plan. He'd wanted to show off his skills and prove to Shizun that he was capable. That he was the best.

"I don't mean to-" He started, his face slightly red from embarrassment before Shizun's words hit him. "W-wait, I'm only  _one_  of your best?" Liang Fei cocked a brow.

"Are you unsatisfied?" He asked, cocking a brow. Xieren puffed up with indignation, looking very much like a child as opposed to the young man he was.

"I wish to be the best!" He cried, determination burning in his gold eyes. Seeing this, Liang Fei couldn't help but feel some pride for his student.

"That is all well and good but such a dream will be hard to accomplish if you keep tripping like that." He pointed out, holding out a hand to help him up.

Xieren stared at the hand for a second before standing on his own. He didn't want to be looked down on any further. He wanted Shizun's respect.

Liang Fei, feeling a bit wronged, just chalked it up to not being liked by the young man.

"May we spar, Shizun?" He asked, bowing to the man. Liang Fei just sighed, knowing that it was a waste of time to try and talk him out of it.

"That is what you asked for but please do not regret it." He said, really wanting to get back to his book. He loved helping his students but fighting with Xieren was tiring since he didn't know when to quit. "This master will feel like a bully if you keep losing so much."

While Liang Fei was a very hard working man, he was notoriously lazy when it came to physical activities. The most strenuous actions he took was fighting and that was just to ensure his safety when hanging out with his friend. Other than that, Liang Fei was a sloth, sitting around with a book in hand and eating junk food.

Initially, he chose not to improve himself as a cultivator since he thought he was in a good enough place to stop. It was only when someone pointed out out shameless it was for him, someone who pushed other to improve themselves, to laze about rather than get ahead.

Reluctantly, he conceded, going through the effort of cultivating his strength. Over the years, he'd raised himself a few levels though he was still in the some stage. While Liang Fei didn't think much of it, he had improved himself at a much faster rate than anyone else in his age group.

Currently, he was much stronger than the original was supposed to be at this point in the novel.

It was because of this that Xieren, having gotten stronger at a similar pace to Liang Fei, was unable to defeat him even after all this time. But that didn't stop him from trying.

"Don't worry! Xieren has improved a lot since last time, Shizun." He assured, his eyes burning with passion. Liang Fei just nodded, deciding not to question it.

 _We just fought a yesterday._  He thought, taking a few steps back.  _Just how much could one improve in less than 12 hours?_

Xieren, with steady hands, pulled out his sword, a beautiful blade that gleamed in the sunlight. On the blade, it's name shined bright.

Meiyou Weilai. (No Future)

(AN: I really wanted to use the phrase 'never knows best' from Fooly Cooly but it was way too long to use.)

Seeing the words, Liang Fei wanted to cry. Why was this sweet child acting so strange? Was it his age? He had never been like this at his age so why so dark a name?

(AN: Xieren is being super edgy)

Seeing his master face palming and sensing an opening, Xieren dashed forward, ready to take the man off guard. Despite his effective plan, it was easily deflected by Liang Fei, who moved swiftly to block the strike.

Their blades crossed, Xieren's drawn and Liang Fei's still sheathed, they stared into each others eyes.

"Shizun is looking down on me." He complained, scowling. Shizun wasn't even paying attention and yet still dared to lazily block him like he was a gnat.

"Shizun is just wondering where he went wrong." He replied absently. Xieren didn't understand his words but felt it was about him.

"I will get better and prove to you that I am stronger than you think, Shizun." He said, jumping back. "I will defeat Shizun!"

Hearing those words, Liang Fei just thought about how his efforts weren't bearing the fruit he expected. He was happy to see the formerly quiet and withdrawn child have a goal but must it involve defeating him?

Could he not just take up scrap booking?

He didn't want to be the enemy~

The fight dragged on, sweat dripping down Xieren's back as he watched the ever calm Liang Fei block and parry his every strike. Panting, Xieren took a step forward, ready to try again when he saw Liang Fei hold up a hand.

"Would you like to take a break?" He asked, his eyes showing nothing within his heart. While Xieren was good at reading Shizun sometimes, more often than not, he was blank page.

"No thank you, Shizun." He replied, wiping the sweat from his neck. "Please allow me to continue." With a huff, Liang Fei nodded, holding his blade with a steady hand.

The next few strikes got closer, just barely missing Liang Fei as he dodged and countered. Xieren was feeling confident and thought he'd perhaps land a hit on the man before his mind went blank.

Next thing he knew, he was staring up at the sky, his back to the ground and Shizun standing over him.

"And that's game." Shizun said, his wording strange but familiar to Xieren. It was what he always said when he'd lost.

Since Liang Fei wasn't one to do long stretches of physical activities, he made a simple rule to their bouts. The first to land a hit wins and once a hit is confirmed, the match ends. Generally, Liang Fei didn't make an attempt to attack until a few minutes into the bout, choosing instead to just block and dodge.

It gave Xieren a handicap since Liang Fei was much stronger than him. While it annoyed the young man to be pitied in such a way, he valued Shizun's consideration and took every chance to land a hit in the time allotted.

Today, however Liang Fei was tired from the morning exercises and didn't really want to spar for too long so he ended it quickly. He was impatient to get back to his book.

***

Xieren sat beneath the tree, his hands clenched against the trunk as his heart raced.

"Damn it!" He cried, hitting the tree. The leaves above showered over him, shielding him from sight for a moment. He only wished he'd been shielded from his stupidity from before.

How could he let his guard down like that?!

He'd finally gotten Shizun to spar with him, so he could prove himself and then...

He had no clue what had happened.

Thinking back, all he could recall is feeling weird as Shizun fought him. Rather than paying attention to his attacks, his eyes had been drawn to his movements. The way his hands traveled about his body. The free flowing hair that brushed his cheeks. The long column of his neck that glistened with sweat.

They all held his attention until he'd been knocked to the ground. The impact wasn't bad, since Shizun being the way he was, held back a lot but Shizun was a full fledged cultivator, so even when holding back, it hurt.

When he opened his eyes again, the first thing he saw was violet, a pair of violet eyes gazing down at him and his heart tried to beat its way out of his chest.

Jumping away, Xieren clung to the tree, hoping it would help him steady himself. Shaking hands clung to the bark, his usually dull nails digging into the wood like a scared kitten.

Watching this, Liang Fei couldn't help but think the sight was cute, reminded of the time he'd scared his neighbors cat into clinging to the curtain. Even the indignant look he received from Xieren was similar, making him want to hug him.

 _Aw~ Even grown, he can be adorable~_ He thought, his eyes misting over from cuteness overload.

Dazed as he was, he held nothing back as he went over to help to little kitty. With firm and steady hands, he gently pulled Xieren from the trunk of the tree. His hands were on his waist and easily lifted him away.

Xieren was taller than most but still smaller than Liang Fei so picking him up wasn't difficult. However, he was still a teenager so the weight was a bit much for someone who is barely paying attention. As such, Liang Fei lost his balance ended up falling onto the ground.

Still in a bit of a daze, Xieren sat up, rubbing his head as he tried to figure what had happened. Opening his eyes, the sight that greeted him nearly killed him right then and there.

Straddling Liang Fei, Xieren stared down at the older man who laid on the grass beneath him. His eyes were misted over as if his mind was far away and his face as serene as a still pond. His beautiful hair had gotten loose, making it spread across the ground in a way that made Xieren's chest and stomach itch.

He stared for a while, unsure what he was feeling. He wasn't sure what to do. He usually got flustered around Shizun, especially as he got older but now, seeing Shizun like this, almost vulnerable made him want to get closer.

But what would he do once he got closer?

As this was all going on, Liang Fei was still in a daze, his mind not really paying any attention to their current position. Instead, Liang Fei was staring back at Xieren, who was slowly getting closer. His eyes, however, was on his head.

Xieren's hair was a mess.

For whatever reason, Xieren never took care of it, so his generally nice hair always looks dull and lifeless. Liang Fei, who was taking great pains to take care of his now super long hair, couldn't let that stand. Leaning forward a bit, their faces close, Liang Fei spoke.

"Ah, as I thought." He muttered, his hand brushing his cheek to touch his hair. It was dry. "Your hair is-" Whatever was about to said was quickly lost to time as a red faced Xieren jumped to his feet.

"I-I have to go!" He shouted, running away before another word could be said. Liang Fei stood there, finally snapping out of his cuteness overload and staring after him.

"Eh?" He cocked his head to the side, confused. He was left lying there, confused as to what he had missed. "Were we not talking?"

***

Elsewhere, Xieren as once again, clinging to a tree, yet this time it was not from surprise but shame. He had spent the last few minutes banging his head against the trunk, trying to smack the stupid from it.

"Why did you do that!?" He cried, wanting to curl up and die. While he was glad no one else had witnessed his failure, Shizun had so it was worse. He'd tried so hard to prove himself and yet he had been humiliated!

"All because of you!" He growled, glaring down at his pants, where a tent had formed. Said junior twitched, defending itself and shamelessly remaining despite not being wanted.

Over the years, Xieren's body had changed in ways he wasn't sure how to fathom. There was no one he could ask about it and he refused to try and look himself since it'd involve asking the library monitor for guidance. Still, it was mostly manageable save for most mornings.

And whenever Shizun got close.

That was a recent problem as well. Before, his feelings toward the man were vague and ethereal, since his adoration and hatred were at war most times. He'd learned to accept the change and move on with fulfilling his dream of being stronger than anyone.

But Shizun always distracted him!

How? By being around! He was always doing something to bother Xieren. Whether it be sitting up in a tree where he couldn't hear him hum or talking to other disciples with that happy gleam in his stoic eyes.

Xieren couldn't deny, he liked to watch the man. Shizun was a fun person to watch. While most would find it boring to watch the same person, Xieren had come to like it, finding new things to admire about the man.

The way he brushed his hand behind his ear sometimes.

The twinkle in his eyes whenever he was called by another disciple, which he hated in equal parts.

The sternness of his voice when he was giving orders. (AN: Xieren likes being ordered around)

All of it made Xieren feel itchy and hot in his skin, like he wanted to shed it and free whatever it was that was causing his discomfort. Sometimes, he even thought about holding Shizun but he always smashed the thought down, not wanting to entertain the thought of disrespecting him.

Who knew what he'd do afterward.

Just as he was fighting his feelings that warred within him, he felt a presence just behind him. Before he could react, he was embraced from behind, the person's softness pressing into his back.

The scent of herbs hit his nose and Xieren left out a huff.

"A-yi, what did I say about sneaking up on me?" He gently scolded, his tone soft but firm. Gone was the panicking young man, red in the face and nervous. In his place stood a calm and serene young cultivator that was the envy of many of his peers.

Over the years, as he quickly improved, he began to gain more attention from others. Many had written him off as a waste, one who was unable to improve no matter what. Much to everyone's surprise, Xieren had gone from a waste to a near prodigy in just a few years.

No one knew how he did it. He didn't seem to do anything special and while everyone wished to know how he improved, many had only started to do so late, as he was a mere shadow before hand.

It started with him subtly correcting seniors during lessons, his words dismissed at first when brought up. Then he was assisting other disciples in lessons, mostly with Shizun's encouragement. Many were shocked at his knowledge, never even thinking that the ever silent shadow had been doing anything productive.

One such thing was learning to sense others from scent and Xinyi's was very distinct. Many have marveled at how she had blossomed over the years. Xinyi had always been lovely but she grown into an even more beautiful young lady, her form molded by hard work and good genes creating the picture of loveliness.

While her breasts hadn't grown, they were still a major selling point in her appeal. She tried to make them less obvious but even then, they bounced and jiggled, drawing the eyes of many young men and setting their hearts a blaze.

Xieren was in a position many of his fellow disciples would kill to be in. The lovely and sought after Xinyi, with her plentiful breast pressed against his arm as she stared up at him with eyes half hidden by lashes.

Such a sight would have anyone red in the face and struggling to keep their wits about them. Xieren on the other hand, felt quite the opposite. This lovely flower had cooled his ardor, making him feel a lot less itchy.

This was, after all, just Xinyi.

"I would say you complained about it but you don't really." She replied, smiling up at him like a cat that had caught a bird. When they were young, Xinyi was taller than him, making him feel like her younger brother despite being older. Now, he was a full head taller than her, forcing her to have to look up.

Part of him wished she'd complain about it since she always managed to get one out of him.

"Don't make it sound like I whine." He retorted, glaring down at her. As expected, this Xinyi, after having spent 3 years being as close as siblings with Xieren, was immune to even his most baleful glares.

"But you do whine." She retorted, cocking her hip to the side. "It's just it's always about Elder Shao."

Really, Xinyi was amused by Xieren's relationship with Elder Shao. She wasn't sure when things had changed but Xieren was a lot more passionate now than before. He was almost always training, striving to better himself. Seeing this made her very happy since she disliked how dowr he was generally.

Now, he was just as cold and distant with others as usual but his eyes would gleam in a way she'd never seen before whenever that man was mentioned.

"It can't be helped." He stated, dropping to the ground to sit underneath the tree he'd been abusing before. In retaliation, the rebellious tree rained leaves down on Xieren, though the young man paid it no mind.

Damn, foiled again. The tree cursed in it's heart. But worry not, dear plant for ye shall be avenged by none other than the dreaded child's 'sister'.

"Really?" Xinyi smiled happily. "I suppose you challenged him to a fight again?" She guessed, watching gold eyes widen with shock and turn to her.

"How did you-"

"You are only ever this grumpy after losing to him." She stated with a catty smile. This was only half a lie. Xieren was just, in general, grumpy. But Xinyi, as a proper and diligent little sister, could tell the difference between general grumpiness and Shizun related grumpiness.

"I didn't lose!" He insisted, his brows furrowed. Thinking of his loss was hard to take. He was trying to push those inappropriate thoughts from his mind and did not want to be reminded.

"Did you win?" She asked, cocking a brow.

"..." His silence was deafening. Xinyi just nodded in understanding.

"So you lost then." She guessed, amused.

"He mentioned my hair and I got distracted." He grumbled, turning away to hide his slight blush. Unconsciously, he started playing with his bangs that covered half his face. It crackled as he did so and Xinyi couldn't help but flinch at the sound.

"I'm not surprised. You don't even try to take care of it." He said, sitting beside him. "I feel bad for it, being stuck on your head like that." She said, reaching over to touch the strands.

Before her hand could get close, it was swatted away, her action met with a hateful glare. Many would wilt under such a look, unused to be being glared at so hatefully as if they had killed an entire family. Xinyi, however, just slightly flinched.

"Sorry, I forgot." She said, holding her hands up. Xieren was very sensitive about being touched on the face, especially around his right eyes. No one, not even Xinyi had ever seen his other eye. Many had tried to peek but none had succeeded yet.

“What did you want from me?” He asked, changing the subject. Gladly taking to offered shift in topic, Xinyi relaxed.

“I needed a favor.” She said with a smile. Eyes narrowed on her.

“And you choose to come to ask me?”

“I have”no one else to ask.”

“Why not Xuejie?” He suggested. The young man was always eager to do as Xinyi asked, seeking her approval though strangely not her affections.

"He said no.” She replied sadly. Moreover, you guys are better at haggling.” She stated, her eyes gleaming with admiration.

The few times they’d all gone out together, Xieren had been the one to negotiate prices. His cold look and stern poker face had whittled away at the resolve of even the most seasoned merchant. After that, all haggles were handled by him.

But this did bring up the question of why he’d need his skills to begin with.

“What did you have in mind?” He asked, wary.

Xinyi just smiled.

***

Xieren huffed indignantly. He really shouldn’t have let Xinyi talk him into this.

Standing alone, Xieren looked around the crowd, trying to find his way. He had been sent to one of the nearby towns to get some herbs for Xinyi since she had no more leave passes and desperately needed some things.

While Xieren dislike crowds in general, Xinyi had asked him nicely so how could he refuse. That and she said that without those herbs, she’d couldn’t make him his special tea so it was in his best interest to help. The tea that Xinyi brewed had helped him greatly so couldn’t allow her to run out of the leaves.

That was his only reason.

He buried the guilty feeling in his heart, not wanting to dwell on it.

The town was quite noisy, as expected of one its size. The people bustled about, trying to go about their day. Faces passed him by, their scent mingling amongst the latent smells that were prevalent in towns. It was, as usual, unpleasant.

Covering his nose, Xieren continued forward, effectively ignoring the crowd. It had been years since he last he descended the mountain to walk among mortals. He felt no need to leave his sect.

While he wouldn’t admit it out loud, he felt no desire to leave since Shizun was there.

Like the original, Liang Fei felt no need to leave the mountain, so he rarely did so. The few times he did, it was to accompany other masters for short trips. This made Xieren happy, since it took a while to earn leave passes.

Thinking of that man, Xieren’s heart felt very light, his usually sharp and cold eyes softening just slightly. He was happy to able to see Shizun everyday without fail, even if the man often beat him in a fight.

He sighed in his heart. If only he didn’t have a favor to Xinyi, he could be back home, spending time with him rather than being around all these annoying people.

Recalling his purpose in coming to town, his eyes darted about the street, trying to find the shop he needed. As he searched, he spotted a few fellow cultivators. He had expected to sense a few but he didn’t really care about them since they weren’t members of his sect.

Locating a herb shop, he walked in, drawing the eye of all within, not that he noticed this himself.

An interesting change in his life was people's response to him. He was used to being ignored and forgotten, since he’d spent much of his childhood seeking to fade into the shadows where those unsavory folks wouldn’t find him. Yet, unbeknownst to him, he had quickly become the source of many a maiden's fancy.

Liang Fei’s prediction had come true.

His long blue-black hair, though dry and generally messy, gave him a wild and untamed look about him, like a mountain warrior who would sweep a maiden on her feet and claim her for all to see. This combined with his handsome face and dominating aura made his shine amongst the common folk.

He was like a wild but self controlled beast, searching for prey.

All the ladies watched him shop, wanting so badly to be his prey, to have him look at them as if they were his. Perhaps it was instinct or just pure desire but they all could sense something ’more’ about him.

Yet none had the courage to walk up to him, knowing within their hearts it would be foolish.

Some distance away, a group watched Xieren as he walked around, their interest varied in nature. One young man, with eyes as cold as tundra, was curious about the strangeness he felt on this young man. The ‘more’ he sensed concerned him.

This young man, Xing He, remained silent as his companion was much more vocal about his interest. Or more accurately, his disdain.

“Look at this guy, walking around like the world belongs to him. How arrogant!” He Qiang shamelessly proclaimed, just barely under a whisper. His nature was like that, loud and brazen, making him a pain to be around. It was only because of a certain person that he help himself back. Any other time, he’d be yelling his rage to the sky and expecting all to listen.

That certain person, however, paid him no mind. Instead, she was entranced by Xieren, her interest purely female and intense. Perhaps it was love at first sight but whatever it was, she too sense something about him. The way he held himself with a quiet indifference, as if the rest of the world couldn’t reach his eyes yet retaining a majesty, like that of a noble.

She had to speak to him.

Xieren, unaware of all the attention he’d received since he was focused on leaving as soon as possible, continued to browse. He wanted to return home so he could seen Shizun again. If he wasn’t there, the disciples would grow arrogant and think they could take the chance to speak with Shizun while he was away.

Sneaky bastards.

Spotting a familiar set of characters, he went over, seeking to call over an employee to collect them for him. Herbs were delicate and had to be handled with care. As such, those unfamiliar with them were not allowed to touch them.

Despite being around Xinyi and her rants about medicine, Xieren knew very little about it himself so he kept his hands away. Finding a few more on his list, he was already looking forward to returning home when he sensed someone just behind him.

“Are you looking for something in particular, good sir?” A female voice asked.


	17. Godly Plot

Standing side by side, the two young people made quite the elegant picture. Xieren, tall and handsome with a strong aura and golden eyes that watched the entire world. By his side was a beautiful young woman, lovely and pure looking, drawing the admiration from all present.

All but Xieren.

Xieren was just confused as to why there was someone talking to him. From her scent, he could tell she was a cultivator like himself but something like that held no interest to him. So he turned away without a word.

His interest in others was very distinct and structured.

There was Shizun, himself, Xinyi and Xuejie, the sect and then everyone else.

While he didn't necessarily have and true loyalty to the sect, it was his home of several years so wouldn't ever betray them. For that reason alone, he refused to let anything happen to it.

"Ah?" This young lady, beautiful as she was, was being ignored?!

Su Xinyue was a noble lady, refined and carrying herself with dignity and grace. She was the beloved flower of the Su clan and cherished disciple of the Jielin sect. As such, she wasn't used to being ignored.

"Good sir, perhaps this sister can assist you?" She offered, brazenly putting herself in front of him. While she usually wasn't so blatant, her desire to be near this handsome gentlemen had her tossing aside her own rules.

"...You're still here?" He said with an annoyed grimace. Xieren, while visually a treat to all who gaze upon him, had a sharp and ruthless tongue, speaking frankly and harshly.

Xinyue flinched, not expecting such a rejection. She was used to being fawned over and pursued so be treated so harshly was a shock.

Despite all that, she wasn't willing to give up.

"That's right, good sir." She replied, smiling softly. "I saw you wandering about and wanted to offer my assistance."

"...Why?" He asked with narrowed eyes, clearly suspicious of this girls 'kindness'. They were strangers so why go through so much trouble just to be near him. He's ignored her and practically humiliated her by dismissing her before yet she still clung to his side like this. Was she an idiot?

The fact that he himself was very much the same did not occur to him.

"My Su clan is known for their generosity toward others, so to uphold my family name, I feel I should show such qualities myself." She proclaimed, lying through her teeth. Her clan had a different reputation but she thought mentioning the name would spark some reaction.

As expected, those around her started to whisper among themselves. Her clan was quite prestigious, honored far and wide as strong and capable cultivators. Even as the weakest in the clan, her status as eldest daughter granted her quite the pedigree, making her very sought after.

How could anyone resist such a prize?

Xieren just nodded, accepting the strange girls words. He didn't believe her, since he could tell she was plotting something but couldn't deny he needed help. If she was offering, why not use her. If she had any intentions of harming him, he felt confident he could counter it.

"I need to find these." He stated, handing over the list he'd been given. He was a bit surprised he could only recognize a few and refused to admit most of it was unfamiliar to him. Apparently, there were a few characters he hadn't picked up yet.

Happy to be acknowledged, Xinyue took the list and read it over. She was happy to standing beside such a handsome young man. He was a bit abrasive but if she could make him fall for her, she'd be the envy of all.

"Ah, this is a lot of stuff." She noted, brushing her hair back hoping to draw his eye. She received none. "Is this all for you?"

"That is none of your concern." He replied, uninterested in conversation. In general, he disliked talking to others. They were generally scheming and dangerous so why waste breath talking to them. Only those few people were worthy in his mind.

Xinyi was one, since she was very accepting of his less that social personality. He valued her greatly. Xuejie was fine as well, since he too was a welcome change of pace. Thinking of the young man, he was suddenly glad he'd come alone.

That person was strange.

He always tried to get Xieren to talk to the girls of the sect, commenting about their beauty and positive quirks. The subject was boring to Xieren but that didn't change this young man's mind. He just kept on trying to push girl after girl at him.

It was annoying.

Had they come together, no doubt he'd try and pair him with this strange girl. He thought, turning his gaze briefly to Xinyue.

At that exact moment, Xinyue also looked up, as she had been doing for a while before this, his gazes shy and quick. They their eyes met, Xinyue's face went red, looking away with nervous embarrassment.

Those intense eyes were finally looking at her. Perhaps he'd finally noticed her beauty? Ah, how nice to be be admired by such a good looking man! She cried in her heart, though he face remained calm, if not a little red.

Xinyue showed him around, helping him find the herbs he needed. The time spent together was short but memorable for the young miss. Every brush of his shoulder or look he gave her stayed with her, making her want to get closer despite him not having said a word outside of questions about the herbs.

Xinyue was growing convinced he would indeed fall for her as the looks increased.

"Ah, good sir, were you buying these for someone? She asked, wanting a chance to get closer.

"Why would you think that?" He said, looking over the selection in front of him, memorizing them. Part of him really didn't care about them but learning them now would prevent him from having to ask others.

Perhaps he'd ask Xinyi? No, she would never let him sleep, bothering him at all hours to get him into alchemy like her. That fiend was way too engrossed in her study. Just thinking about it was horrifying.

Perhaps asking Shizun? He seemed knowledgeable. He wouldn't bother him all the time. Though that sounded less appealing that being followed around by the alchemy fanatic. He'd much prefer being around Shizun that much than Xinyi.

All these thought and preferences clouded his mind, he failed to hear Xinyue's response to his question until she called out to him.

"Hm? What did you say before?" He replied, a bit annoyed to have gotten distracted with a stranger nearby. He had to be more careful.

Seeing that this handsome man had been distracted, Xinyue was greatly pleased, thinking he'd been thinking about her. She  **was** beautiful, smart and considerate. What wasn't there to admire?

"I was talking about the herbs you were buying." She said, with an indulging smile. "These are quite a unique collection of herbs. Most are medicinal but theses last few are cosmetic, mostly for hair care."

Hearing that last part, Xieren couldn't help but let out a small chuckle, though he quickly covered it with a cough.

_That damn Xinyi, so devious and smart._ He thought, shaking his head. He'd most likely have to thank her for her help but knowing her, she'll be smiling that evil little sister smile.

Xinyue saw the action but was a bit confused by it. Was he embarrassed? Was it truly a gift for someone else? The hair care tonic was simple but effective, so it was fairly popular with women. The thought that this man, that she had claimed as hers in her heart, was buying gifts for another woman was unacceptable.

"Good sir, I-" She started to say, only to find herself alone. Looking around, she couldn't see or sense him anywhere. While consciously she was distressed to have somehow lost him in such a short time, part of her was confused as to how she had failed to notice his departure.

She was, despite her delicate looks, a high level disciple. Her clan was very strict about strength so she had been trained from an early age. Her sense's were sharp and keen, so she could tell when people were close.

Yet this young man, whose age was not that far from hers (she assumes) was able to walk away and disappear before she could even notice?

Who was that man?

Elsewhere, Xieren was briskly walking through the crowd, arms full of his recent purchases. He knew he should have probably thanked that lady for her help but she had a gross look on her face every time she looked at him, so he was unwilling to.

Strange lady.

With a lighter heart, he walked swiftly, wanting to go back home quickly and see Shizun again. Perhaps he could get the man to spar with him again. He'd very much like to, since it was one of the few times they spent with only each other.

Shizun focusing only on him was his only desire really. He disliked sharing his time with Shizun with others, even Xuejie. While other disciples were allowed to come to him at anytime, Xieren had been very clear on his dislike for those who bothered Shizun outside of the official lessons.

Liang Fei was, of course, unaware of these 'warnings' and just assumed Xieren was very good at getting along with others and helping them. He was always so keen on offering help to those who attempted to ask him for private lessons.

_Xieren was such a good disciple._  Liang Fei always thought, when looking out at his student. Xieren did nothing to interfere with those assumptions. He'd be a good student for his Shizun.

By this time, Shizun should be alone so it would just be the two of them.

Xieren walked on, blissfully unaware of the dreaded and almighty plot looming over him, puppeteering him down the path he was supposed to go.

***

Sometime later, the plot had stuck a decisive blow, drawing all the relevant characters to an elaborate scene.

Xinyue and Xieren, destined to meet, were drawn together once more after parting. The godly plot dictated that despite not falling in love at first sight, their interest in each other was clear despite both hiding it well. Later on, when Xieren was to get lost in the unfamiliar town, they'd bump into each. A helpless girl in need of rescue and the cold protagonist saves her, thus cementing their 'possible' romance.

Such is the tale of Xieren and one of his many, many conquests.

The only problem being that the plot was not all powerful. It's power was only in creating situations and couldn't account for changes made. The side characters and even the protagonists had changed so the plot could only bring about chaos.

The plot continued on anyway, unaware of how weak it was to influence the protagonist, as Xinyue was cornered by some men with ill intentions. While she was fully capable of fending for herself, she wished to maintain her weak and delicate persona, showing herself to be like a kitten in need of protection and pampering.

In her heart, she hoped that handsome young man from before would save her, since such an act would prove he wasn't as heartless as he seemed. Perhaps it would even show that he felt just the tiniest bit of favor toward her.

Her pride refused to accept that there was anyone in the world who could resist her charms.

Xinyue kept up her facade, pretending to be be scared of the men in front of her. As expected, the plot brought Xieren nearby, his heightened senses bringing him to the abandoned alley despite him not really needing to be there. He wasn't lost, since he'd been to this town before but had wandered to this scene so easily.

The plot was god.

But this god was only so powerful. While it could compel the protagonist to arrive, it could not make him act, even as he was supposed to.

While Xieren was cold and heartless, he was not one to let others be bullied or harassed, so he should have rushed over to Xinyue's side to protect her. Even though he knew her to be strong, he'd still not allow another to be harassed.

Xinyue's opinion of him would grow just a bit, planting the seed for one of Xieren's future 'wives' and add just a bit to his coolness factor.

Just as the godly plot demanded.

Yet Xieren remained where he was, watching with cold, indifferent eyes.

Xieren had been watching for a while and was not really interested. The woman from before was surrounded by thugs but Xieren wasn't stupid. He could tell she was a cultivator just by her movements. Precise and confident.

She was pretending to be helpless and Xieren wasn't interested in playing into her little game.

However, he was unable to move from his spot. Backward or sideways, his feet refused to move. Only forward, toward the fray, was easy and free of problems. Xieren had no clue why but he felt annoyed by the limits.

He could have just gone over to save her, just to ease whatever force was compelling him to but he was very unwilling. Not really because of her, since he knew very little about her. No, it was the company she kept.

Despite being unaware of the reason he was being focused on, Xieren was very observant of his surroundings. As such, he knew the company she kept and who she had been conversing with before she came to him.

The man she'd come with was a familiar one. A one He Qiang, top disciple of the Jielin sect. Rumors about him were vast and impossible to miss. The other man, who's name Xieren didn't know was burned into his memory. That surface level smile and confident look was not one he'd ever forget.

Xieren remembered them from years prior, when he and his companions had been harassing that annoying guy, An Li and tried to attack Shizun.

Even though Shizun was fine, they still dared to attack his master so blatantly. While Shizun might have been pretending to be mortal, the fact they attacked him like that, with the knowledge that he could be killed, was unforgivable. Despite that, Shizun was kind enough to only graze those bastards. It was only because of how kind Shizun was that he never drew his sword and slew them.

(AN: Really, the most he could do was just club them upside the head.)

Seeing them draw ever nearer, Xieren watched, waiting to see how long she'd keep up the act. He could already tell she was getting impatient, her fingers twitching to grab her weapon and strike. In anyone else, this sight have gained a bit of attention from a person, making them more willing to watch and see how things would go. Perhaps even decide to assist this lovely and interesting young miss.

But Xieren wasn't that person.

Xieren was not a kind person. He didn't help his classmates because he liked them nor did he speak to others because of some desire to do so. All his motives were focused on one thing.

Getting Shizun's attention.

Shizun demanded that disciples respect one another, so Xieren did his best to repress his desire to shove them off every cliff and play nice. He was courteous yet distant, gaining his a reputation for being cold, not that he minded any. If others thought him cold, he wouldn't lose a wink of sleep over it.

Shizun, however, was a different story.

If Shizun ever somehow learned he'd abandoned a woman in danger, no matter how much she could handle herself, the man would hate him. He'd chastise him harshly and possibly even turn his back on him.

He might look down upon him with a look of disappointment.

Just the thought of those disillusioned eyes staring down at him had his heart shudder with fear and before he could even take a breath, he was already stepping forward.

Just as Xinyue's fingers touched her weapon, a bladed folding fan, she saw someone appear behind the thugs cornering her. Her heart soared with joy when she saw who it was.

"Good sir!" She cried, smiling brightly and with relief. She really didn't want to dirty her hands by fighting such lowlifes.

Xieren, silent and swift, took the men down, uninterested in anything else but getting this over with. In minutes, the young man was surrounded by unconscious mortals, brushing the dust off his robes.

As expected, he didn't even need to draw his blade.

Unaware of how she was seen by the young man and convinced she had finally gained this young man's affections, Xinyue ran over to Xieren's side.

"Good sir, thank you so much for saving me." She said, staring up at him with adoring eyes. To be looked at in such a way, surely it would sway the heart of any young man.

No, it didn't.

Xieren brushed her off, turning to walk away. Whatever had been pinning him to the spot before had finally left him so he could move at last. He figured it was just his conscious telling him that leaving her would make Shizun look bad so he was pinned.

That made sense.

Xinyue followed him all the way to the street where she grabbed his sleeve to get his attention again.

"May I know your name, good sir?" She asked, watching him slow down. From the look on his face, he seemed to be in a rush but she couldn't let this go. She had to get something from him, some way to find him after this.

"It's rude to ask for another's name before introducing yourself." He retorted, not looking her way. He didn't really care about her name but Shizun often said that so he too wished to say those words. As expected, it was very appealing.

Thinking the young man was definitely interested in her, since he hadn't brushed her off, Xinyue smiled with a near smug look before showing him her 'noble lady' expression.

"Of course. I am called Su Xinyue of the Jielin sect. And you?" She asked, staring up at his handsome face. Xieren was a bit annoyed, kind of hoping she'd stay silent. Too bad.

"Xieren... of the TianJian sect." He grumbled, really wanting to leave but knowing better than to toss aside a women in front of others. It would reflect badly on Shizun.

"Xieren." She repeated, branding the name into her heart. "When might I see you again?"

"Un." He grumbled, not wanting to talk to this person anymore. She was annoying and smelled weird. It was present but not what he liked.

He'd much prefer Shizun's unique and wonderful scent. It took some time but his old scent had faded and his unique scent was now more pronounced.

It was his favorite.

"Will you be attending the Sunjin conference?" She asked, excited to see him again.

The Sunjin Conference was a competition between the local sects to see who had the best disciples and the most promising upcoming cultivators. Xinyue was one of the competitors, representing both her clan and her sect.

Surely this promising young man was participating.

Xieren just turned away, not interested in talking anymore. He didn't want to be near her anymore.

Even when she called out to him, his back didn't turn once. Soon he faded into the crowd, her calls falling on deaf ears.

***

Hours later, Xieren sat in the canteen, choosing his meal while ignoring the looks he got from others.

They were unimportant.

Moreover, Xieren was a bit annoyed right now.

Despite his effort, he had found Shizun giving a private lessons with some other disciples when he'd arrived.

Damn sneaky bastards.

Taking his bowl of Red Pot Soup, he walked to his table, resisting the urge to glare at those around him.

Halfway there, he sensed someone approach him and allowed them to sling their arm around his shoulder.

"Hey, bro, how are you doing?" Xuejie asked, smiling easily. The young man was very casual, giving hugs freely and constantly.

Xieren didn't mind it so much but having a man so close to him was weird. Honestly, he'd much prefer being hugged by Shizun.

"Please don't touch me so casually, Xuejie." He growled, pushing him away. "I don't want your smell on me."

"Eh?" He watched Xieren sit down, planting himself across from him. "Do I smell bad?"

"You smell like Xuejie." He replied, not even looking up from his meal.

"Is that bad?"

"Mm." He made this noncommittal sound, neither a yes or no.

"That's not an answer."

"Mm." Xuejie stared at his friend, crying without tears at his friends casual snipes. But that was just how he was.

"Fine, don't answer." He said, showing off his banquet. "See if I share my delicious food with you."

"Your taste is strange." Xieren opened a eye, looking over said banquet. It was made up almost entirely of meats, greasy and fattening. Xuejie was one who preferred fattening foods cause they 'tasted better than that flavorless stuff '. Xieren didn't disagree but it was a bit hard to watch him gorge himself on meat.

"Says the guy eating Red Pot Soup so casually." He retorted watch him so happily, in his Xieren way, eating the red as fire soup so easily.

"It's good."

"It's impossible to eat!" He countered, eye twitching as he watched his friends casually take a sip.

"Xuejie is just weak."

"Or bro is just weird." He muttered to himself, rolling his eyes. "By the way, where were you today? I expected to find you sulking somewhere."

"Why would I be sulking?" Xieren growled. Xuejie was met with a glare, flinching as Xieren coldly stared him then.

"You fought Shizun, right?"

"Yes but..." He started, frowning deeper. How did he know...

"It's pretty obvious." Xuejie said, pointing to his forehead. Xieren's hand flew to his own, flinching as he felt a patch of soreness there.

From when he banged his head against a tree before.

"I see..." Xieren wasn't happy to learn he was so obvious.

"So where did you go?"

"Town." He replied. "A-yi sent me to do errands."

"Ah~ How nice of her hubby to help her out."

"Whose A-yi's hubby?" He immediately demanded, his protective big brother instincts rushing forward. "This brother was not notified about this."

"Ah~ bro doesn't mean that." Xuejie looked on, disappointed that his 'subtle' matchmaking. Why wasn't it working?

"When I find someone worthy of A-yi, only then will I approve of a husband." He said, his tone firm and surprisingly fatherly.

That 'hubby', unaware of being spoken about shuddered with fear, not knowing why or who was talking about her.

"Speaking of, you didn't meet anyone in town, did you?" Xuejie sighed, accepting defeat.

"Meet anyone?" He cocked a brow.

"A beauty." He replied, his look eager for something.

Xieren briefly wondered whether or not this man had followed him somehow but that couldn't be it. It was just Xuejie being obsessed with women.

"No, I just heard about the Sunjin Conference." He said, changing the subject. "Its coming up, right?"

"Ah, so you heard about it too?" Xuejie said, accepting a change. "I'm surprised. I heard some of the seniors were talking about it, wanting to be chosen." Xuejie was excited too, wanting to see who came up on top.

Xieren was not so keen on it.

"Of course they would." He muttered, rolling his eyes.

"You're not interested?" He cried, mouth half full. "I thought you'd love the chance to beat up some seniors with no consequences."

"It's... tempting but..." Xieren looked away. He'd love to fight against seniors. His desire to get stronger hadn't faded in the least, hence why he trained as hard as he could. Fighting against seniors, even if he lost, was worth it if he could get just s little stronger.

But doing so would require him to spend all his time preparing and he'd have less time to spare with Shizun one on one. Taking a spot would make him have to share his time with Shizun and he'd rather not do that.

How could he get his most desired head pats if he had to share his time with Shizun?

Years had past and he still had yet to get that most desired reward. He'd worked hard, bettering himself so that he was his best student and yet he still failed to get it.

At the very least, the head pats were less frequent the better he got so perhaps one day, Shizun would have to acknowledge him.

"I'm done." Xieren stood up, not waiting for Xuejie. He always took the longest to eat. Xinyi was busy so it's just be this wild haired, lover of beauties eating alone.

"G'night, bro." He called out, his attention now solely on his meal. He had worked hard and was treating himself.

As he walked out, he spotted a long piece of parchment on the wall. It was a sign up sheet, something only Shizun had put up. Every other master had chosen disciples based on their own judgments. Shizun, however, allowed anyone to sign up and then he'd test them.

It allowed everyone the opportunity to, at the very least, try. Currently, it was blank, since it was the first day.

Standing there, Xieren just happened to hear some disciples talking amount themselves.

"Did you hear? I heard Elder Shao will be leaving for something extermination mission later on."

"Will he be present for the Sunjin Conference?"

"Probably not."

"That's too bad."

"I did hear he'd be taking that person with him, though."

"That person?"

"The winner under his name."

"For a whole mission? That's much better reward than just an plaque."

"To fight alongside a master, how cool is that?!"

Whatever else had been said after that was lost to time as the two disappeared from sight. Silent, Xieren stood in the darkness of the hallway. His thoughts masked by the indifference he face displayed.

An hour later, Xuejie was walking back to his room, belly full to bursting.

_Meat was the best~_

As he was passing by the sign in sheet,his eyes briefly brushing over it. It meant little to him but was there so why not look, after all. However, his steps stopped, the sight he saw shocking him to the core of his soul.

Xieren had written his name on the sign up sheet, as he thought he would. However...

There was being bold enough to dare write your name on such a list, knowing everyone would be against you but this was something else. This was being so bold as to make it that no COULD write their name on the list after you.

Xuejie stared in disbelief at this brazenness. Was this truly his stoic and cool Xieren that did this? Where is the pride? The nobility?

Liang Fei, when he got the form, just sighed, thinking he'd have to teach Xieren to write better. His handwriting was good but he wrote it so large, how was anyone else going to try?


	18. Anti-wingman

Liang Fei stared out the window of his home, watching the rain as it fell. The coolness of the air and the relaxing feel of being safe inside was a pleasant feeling. Even better with others around as well.

Taking the tray in hand, he walked over to his sitting room to greet his guests. Usually, the place was messy since he was rarely home but since it was raining, he took the opportunity to clean up. That and he knew he'd have guests that day.

Opening the door, he saw Sect leader Zi Shuren and head alchemist, Fang Zhihao, sitting together at the table. They were talking but they were whispering so Laing Fei couldn't hear them well.

"What are you doing here, Zhihao?" Shuren said in clipped tone, obviously annoyed by the other man. This other man acted completely ignorant of his actions.

"What do you mean, dearest brother?" Zhihao replied, completely oblivious and innocent in tone but his eyes gleamed with mischief. He knew what he was doing. "I can't visit a friend?"

"Since when did the two of you get so close that you visit his home?" He snapped, now suspicious of all the times Liang Fei said he was too busy to host him.

"I could ask the same of you, sect leader." Zhihao countered, cocking a brow. He knew why his friend was there. While others wrote off the man's interest in Liang Fei as just a desire to beat him, since Liang Fei was the only one not felled by his cold stare, Zhihao knew better.

His dearest brother had been compromised and now wishes to court Liang Fei.

Zhihao wasn't dumb. He knew of the strange attractions some had but he'd hoped his dearest brother wouldn't succumb to such practices. Not that he blamed him since Liang Fei was so...adorable.

His stone face made him hard to read but his mannerisms and words made it more than clear that Liang Fei was a kind and considerate man. Had he been born a woman, Zhihao would have been first in line to court her.

But he was a man!

Lucky for him, that was enough to save Zhihao but Shuren wasn't the same. He was a predator who had finally chosen a marriage partner, like Zhihao had been nagging him about for years. He just hadn't figured his ice prince of a brother would choose a man as opposed to a woman.

"I have my reasons." Shuren said, his eyes falling on Liang Fei as he placed the tray on the table. His eyes darkened slightly, his attention solely on the man.

"As do I." Zhihao muttered, staring at Liang Fei, who was completely oblivious to the stare. Somehow, he'd never noticed all the looks this man gave him, innocently letting this beast into his home with no fear of being pushed down.  _Someone has to protect this pure flower._

"Sorry for taking so long." The flower said, bowing to them both before sitting. His movements were smooth and elegant, unintentionally entrancing the men before him.

"No need to apologize, little brother." Zhihao assured him, nudging Shuren with his knee since the man was staring at Liang Fei with a dazed look. Must he be so obvious? "It allowed us to talk some." He said, ignoring the cold glare he received from Shuren. Like Liang Fei, Zhihao was immune to that chill so it was nothing but a summer breeze for him.

"We weren't disturbing you, were we?" Shuren asked, watching Liang Fei serve them. He shook his head.

"No, I enjoy the times you come to visit, sect leader." He assured him.

"I see." Shuren sighed, enjoying their little 'moment' before it was so rudely interrupted.

"How about me, little brother?" Zhihao asked, shoving Shuren aside. "Do you enjoy my company."

"Of course." Liang Fei frowned a bit, confused by the shove but wrote it off as brotherly. "It's nice to have visitors every once in a while."

"You have no preference?" Shuren asked, still glaring at Zhihao.

"Hm?" Liang Fei took a moment to think about it. He had quite a few visitors who came by. His students mostly but a few elders who liked the tea he brewed or the juice he made. Actually, most of them were only there for his snacks so it was good either way. "No, not that I can think of."

"I see." Shuren took a swig of tea, hiding his scowl in the cup. He'd been hoping he'd be a favorite. In a surprising twist, Liang Fei seemed to sense he'd said something wrong so he rushed to fix the problem.

"I do thank you, sect leader, for indulging me." He said, laying out some snacks on the table. "You didn't have to lend me books to read and I appreciate the gesture."

Liang Fei, an avid reader, still felt happiest when reading so he'd taken to borrowing (actually borrowing this time) book from the library to keep himself entertained. Even the books on alchemy was not safe from his grasp. But as all things, the good times quickly came to an end.

He'd run out of books to read.

As he tried to think of a solution, Zi Shuren had shown up and offered him the use of his personal library. The books publicly available to disciples and the books held in his personal library were like heaven and earth. It couldn't even be compared.

As such, like a child offered candy, Liang Fei followed along, borrowing books once a week from the sect leader. During those minutes of searching, Shuren would try and talk to him but Liang Fei, being himself, missed all the hints and answered in swift and monosyllabic words leaving the man no means to ask anymore.

It was frustrating. But Shuren was a stubborn man.

"No need to thank me." He replied, his mood a bit better. "They would have just collected dust anyway."

 _And how else would he get a chance to talk to you uninterrupted?_  He thought ruefully.

Just as he thought that, his adversary spoke.

"Though coming here every other day to pick them up is a bit much, don't you think?" Zhihao noted, munching on a snack placed before him. Their host had called them 'cookies' and he very much liked them.

"Zhihao!" He snapped, his hand clenching as his friend blinked innocently at him.

It was all this bastards fault he had to go through so much trouble. While he didn't get every close due to Liang Fei's apparent inability to hold a conversation for any amount of time (at least with him), it was time spent well. But all of a sudden, Zhihao started coming along, blocking all of Shuren's attempts at courting.

He'd been reduced to coming to Liang Fei's home, with the excuse of collecting his books, with hope that Zhihao wouldn't dare intrude. He was wrong it seemed.

(AN: Nothing gets past mama bear Zhihao)

"Hm? Is it?" Liang Fei mumbled, staring down at his table before looking up at Shuren. "Sect leader, I am not bothering you, am I?" He hoped he wasn't being a bother. He just really wanted some books to read when he wasn't teaching.

"No, if I didn't wish to be here, I wouldn't come at all." Shuren stated, shoving Zhihao aside. "Don't listen to him."

"That's no way to talk to your brother, Sect Leader." He laughed, smiling slyly. "I came all this way to spend time with my favorite people." This was an open challenge, seeking to get a rise from the other man. Out of everyone in the world, Zhihao was the only one to enrage the ice prince to almost yelling. It was his pride.

"No one asked you to." He grumbled.

"Just think of me as a chaperone."

"We don't need one."

"I think you do."

"You..."

Liang Fei watched them, not understanding what was being spoken about before dismissing it. It was probably just an inside joke or something. He doubted it had much to do with him. Why would it anyway.

Still, Liang Fei was happy to spend time with the two men. He forgot how nice it was to talk with people his own age, relatively. 

"So about your mission." Shuren started, the tone of the conversation shifting to a more serious one. Even Zhihao's smile faded just a bit, his gaze sharp as a blade. Every time Liang Fe saw it, he was surprised. How did the man change his expression so quickly? "Are there any questions?"

Liang Fei shook his head, his mind clear of any questions. It was fairly straightforward. He was to investigate some suspicious events that had occurred recently in another province. Due to its level of importance, he, a sect elder was sent as opposed to just a regular cultivator. That and the level of secrecy.

While many knew he was leaving, no one knew the details of said mission, only being told it was a regular extermination mission. This wasn't a lie but neither was it entirely true.

There was whispers of some dark cultivators kidnapping villagers and doing something with them that no one had figured out yet. But Zhihao suspected it had something to do with the sudden migration of divine beasts.

Liang Fei had been told that beasts of various levels of danger have been spotted in areas they are not known for. Sea beasts beaching themselves and mountain dwellers descending for no apparent reason.

Something was happening and Shuren wanted him to look into it.

That and look into why it was that the sects in the affected areas were apparently doing nothing about the incidents. When brought up, they denied anything was even happening, assuring Shuren that if anything like what they spot of was happening, they'd be doing something about it.

The only reason Shuren knew this was happening elsewhere was because a distressed messenger had reached them, begging for help.

Apparently, no one had been listening to their pleas so they braved the elements to reach a sect that would help. And the sect was TianJian.

As of now, those dark cultivators had yet to touch their province but that could easily change at any moment.

"Will you be alright by yourself?" Zhihao asked, frowning to himself. He was against the idea of sending Liang Fei, wanting to go himself. Yet Liang Fei had volunteered himself.

"I won't be alone." He replied, eating his snacks leisurely.

"You really want to bring a disciples with you one such an important mission?" Shuren asked, a bit taken aback. Usually, he wasn't against the idea but considering the level of danger, it was strange.

"To everyone else, it isn't so why not?" Liang Fei countered. He knew he'd be resisted on this but he felt he needed to do this.

"Because you know it is dangerous." Shuren narrowed his eyes, his ice cold gaze boring into Liang Fei, displaying his complete rejection of this idea. "They could-

"I won't put my student in any danger, I assure you." Liang Fei interrupted, his gaze sharpening like a knife, cutting the man off. The tension between them grew as neither side eased up even a little.

This left Zhihao to ease things along.

"It's not..." He started, stopping only when both men turned to glare at him. He flinched, not wanting to but being unable to stop it. He could handle one icy glare but two was too much. "We don't doubt you'll keep them safe but circumstance might change."

"Moreover, you chose to go by carriage, which brings with it a lot more obstacles.

When given the choice between flying swords or carriage as a means of transportation, Liang Fei didn't hesitate to choose the carriage. It was obviously the slower method but in his mind, it was the only method.

Liang Fei knew he could fly. It was one of the things that reminded him that he was, indeed, in a fantasy novel. The first time he saw it, he thought he'd have a heart attack at how... frightening it looked.

Liang Fei was scared of heights. He'd always been and learning he was in ancient China, he felt happy he wouldn't have to be subjected the horror of flying like in modern day. While he could jump high and stand on high peaks without concern, it was really because his feet was on the ground.

On swords, it was nothing but him and open air. At least in airplanes, there was something between him and certain death yet people here flew on swords like it wasn't dangerous at all.

So the thought of flying without any means of protecting him from falling to his death was... no. Just full stop, no.

Not to mention his sword, which he still didn't even know the name of, was unusable. In all the time he'd been here, the blade refused to show itself to him, treating him like air when he tried to draw it. Yet it refused to leave his side, seeming to follow him around whenever he forgot to bring it.

Was the thing alive? Nothing he'd read indicated that but who knows. Perhaps that was the norm in cultivation novels!

As Liang Fei pondered this, his guests had to wait for his response. This wasn't an issue. They were used to this man's habit of getting lost in his own thoughts. Conversations would come to a grinding halt just because Liang Fei forgot other people were waiting for a reply.

"Should we just go?" Zhihao muttered, seeing Liang Fei just stare into space. Really, he hoped this man didn't do this outside. Heavens know what could happen if left by himself.

If the person in question heard these thoughts, he'd have spit blood at the accusation. He was very much aware of his surroundings! It just he got lost in thought often. So what if he'd ended up in strange places because he was walking while daydreaming dozens of times. It was perfectly normal, damn it!

(AN: Liang Fei is like the kid you keep on a leash to prevent him from walking into the street.)

"You can go if you like." Shuren replied, taking the opportunity to admire Liang Fei's beauty. While he often told himself his interest in the man was pure, he couldn't help but get distracted by every little thing about him. The gleam in his eyes when he spoke sometimes, the softness of his skin (which he had yet to touch but dreamed of doing) and the smooth cadence of his voice.

All of those things were the reason he went through so much trouble just to see him.

Just as Zhihao was about to respond, he heard the hurried steps of someone approaching their room. Seconds later, the door slid open with a slam, bring two out of the three pairs of eyes on the intruder.

Young Xieren stood in the doorway, his figure one of strength and brashness, the epitome of youth. Zhihao knew him, since he'd been so close to his apprentice, Xinyi but this was the first time Shuren had met the child.

Yet why was he glaring at him so hatefully?

Xieren glowered at the two men, hating that Shizun had invited other people into his home. He already hated that his fellow disciples came and went when they pleased but the elders too? Why?!

All these people would ruin his master's home and cover up his wonderful smell.

"Shizun!?" He called out, brazenly ignoring the sect leader and head of ALchemy to call out to his master. Said master, still lost in thought, jumped at the sound. For a moment, the man looked dazed and confused as he looked around to find the source of the shout.

All three men shared the same thought just then.

_How cute~_

When his eyes landed on Xieren, his expression eased back to his usual stone faced expression, though Xieren felt happy. Shizun was looking at him instead of those other men.

"Xieren, what are you doing here?" He asked, cocking a brow. "Lessons are over."

"Yes but you said you'd be testing us today, remember?" He reminded the man, stepping forward. He'd grown used to entering Shizun's home, as did everyone, since the man let anyone in. Xieren disliked sharing but he supposed it was fine since Shizun seemed happy about it.

"Oh, was that today?" He muttered, furrowing his brows. It had been a few days since he'd put out the sign in sheets and he'd gotten a good amount of prospects. He could only pick three to represent him so he had to pick the best out of them all. That and it'd help build bonds between them.

"Did you forget?" Zhihao joked, smirking at the obvious conclusion. It was clear the man had indeed forgotten about the test. It was very like him.

"It would seem so." He sighed, a bit embarrassed. He'd been focused on his mission, he'd forgotten he still had to chose his representatives. How irresponsible. "I'm very sorry. I must attend to those matter. Please excuse me."

Zhihao waved it off, not really minding since he'd planned on leaving anyway. It was only Shuren who looked displeased, but not about Liang Fei leaving.

"Aren't you teaching your students well enough, Elder Shao?" His voice cut through the air, freezing the heart of all who heard it. Both Xieren and Zhihao shivered unconsciously, chilled to the bone by mere words. Liang Fei just turned back the man, raising an eyebrow.

"Well enough?" He echoed, a bit bothered by the man's words. He took pride in his students and disliked hearing such things.

"Your student didn't greet us when he walked in." He stated, not bothering to look at the two. Zhihao cocked a brow, a bit surprised he didn't mention the obvious glare they'd also received. Either way, the damage had been dealt.

"Is that true?" Liang Fei said, his voice chill and calm. Xieren knew he was in trouble.

"Eh? I... Yes?" He stammered, staring at the ground. He hadn't really meant to be rude, since doing so would make Shizun mad but... He really didn't want to bow his head to anyone but Shizun. Before he could say another word, pain exploded in his head and Liang Fei smacked him with the base of his sword. "Ack, S-Shizun! That hurt!" He whined, rubbing his head as he stared up at the man, trying to gain favor by pouting. 

It did not work.

"Don't 'Shizun' me." He retorted, gesturing with his sword. Some teachers used rulers while he used a sword. Same difference either way. "It's rude not to greet your elders when you enter a room. Now apologize and greet them properly."

"B-but-"

"No buts. Now." He ordered, his gaze hard and fierce, sending shivers through the young man. His heart raced at the authority in that single word. He didn't want to. His pride and self rule made him want to reject him but...

It was an order from Shizun after all.

"My deepest apologies, Elder Fang. Sect leader." He said with a bow, his face a bit red from embarrassment. "This lowly disciple seeks forgiveness and wishes to make amends." He said, secretly promising to get strong enough to beat this man. He might be his sect leader but if e beat the man, he wouldn't have to bow, right? Definitely, so he'd get stronger than him too.

"As long as you don't fail to do so again, I see no reason not to let it go." Shuren said, not missing the determined look in the child's eye. There was something familiar about it.

"This humble disciples thanks Sect leader for his patience." He said, a bit huffy. IF not for it being an order, Xieren possibly would risk punishment for being rude. He could take it after all and-

A hand was place on his head, gentle and warm. It didn't move, just resting there but Xieren felt his whole world revolve around that hand.

It was.

it had to be...

A good job head pat!!!

His heart soared as he celebrated the first gentle touch he'd received in years from Shizun. Everything else had been helping hands and sparring matches but just for greeting a man, he got this much?

Perhaps he'd let Shizun punish him more if he got head pats afterward.

Liang Fei, was happy about Xieren, knowing he disliked these sort of things. Even after teaching the young man manners, he was still reluctant to follow proper etiquette. It was always 'Shizun is my master already so why bow to others too?' with him. It was so hard to deal with.

So he was thankful he'd gotten the child to give in so easily, since teenagers were notoriously rebellious. His happiness made him pet the child before he could consciously stop himself. He stopped at just that though, not wanting to upset him.

 _I just hope he isn't too upset about being touched by me_. He thought, inwardly sighing.

"Good job, now let us get going." Liang Fei said, a bit impatient to get his work done. His hand was still on Xieren's head when he turned to his two guests. "Sect leader, Elder Fang, I apologize but I must cut our meeting short."

"It's fine." Zhihao assured him. He knew how much his student meant to Liang Fei so he wasn't surprised they were being asked to leave. "We will see ourselves out."

It was only then that Liang Fei realized his mistake. He'd failed to offer to see them out. How incredibly rude, especially to the sect leader.

"I can-" He started before being interrupted by Zhihao.

"No no, just go." He said, waving him away. "We'll be fine, I promise."

"Right." Liang Fei bowed before turning away, almost leaving a somewhat dazed Xieren behind. His eyes were glazed over with joy, though Liang Fei failed to notice. Seeing the child standing there, he called out. "Lets go, Xieren."

"Y-yes, Shizun!" He replied, a smile on his face as he followed the man's back. His eyes gleamed with joy at the touch he'd received. It wasn't a full on head pat but he'd made contact!!

After the student-teacher duo left, Zhihao and Shuren remained in their seats, staring after them. The room was quiet as Zhihao leisurely finished the snacks prepared for them. There was no need, after all, to leave them be, right?

"Zhihao."

"Yes, oh fearsome leader?" He casually replied, eating a cookie before half heartedly offering one to the stone faced Shuren. "Did you wish for something from me as well?" Shuren ignored the cookie, his gaze solely on the doorway Liang Fei and Xieren had disappeared through moments before.

"Who was that child just now?"

"Eh? You don't know him?" He asked, taking the cookie for himself. "No of course you don't, you rarely pay any mind to disciples." He continued, shrugging his shoulders and relaxing in his seat. "He's Elder Shao's disciple, you know the one he picked up a while ago."

"The 'special' child?" He said, thinking back to the day Liang Fei tossed some kid in front of him like he was trash. This obviously confused the man since the letter sent about the child sung his praises. The letters before that point talking about him made the child sound promising yet upon arriving, the man had just tossed the child to the ground, the muddy terrain being the only thing to cushion his fall.

The behavior was not what he'd expected from someone singing the child's praises before but the Liang Fei of that time was known for his shifts in favor. One day, you are gold, worth everything and the next, you are nothing.

That's how he was.

He still remembered that child looking up at him from the mud, a single gold eye peeking through the matted and dirty hair atop his head. His other eye was swollen and bruised, as it punched. Yet what truly caught his eye wasn't the bruises or even Liang Fei's treatment of the child. No it was the look in his eyes.

That look, hatefully glaring up at him like the world should burn before his eyes. It was the look of a person determined and capable of being strong. Shuren had wanted the child for himself, to train but Liang Fei had already claimed him, dragging the child through the mud.

"So you do remember." Zhihao said, dragging Shuren from his memories of the past. Without him even noticing, his confusion over the drastic shift in behavior was quickly being overwritten by a hard working, if not resentful system. "Yeah that's him, Xieren. He's friends with Xinyi from my division, so we bump into each other often. Though I don't think I've ever seen him smile before so maybe it wasn't him"

Zhihao was confused as well, since he'd never seen Xieren when he was around Liang Fei. Seeing him like that, flustered and jovial, he began to see why Xinyi, cheerful as she was, called him brother. Before this point, he thought the kid was incapable of smile, always looking either outright cold or just mildly amused, a smirk or a minute raising of a single corner of his mouth to show his amusement.

Yet today he was full on smiles, all after be punished by his 'hateful' master.

Was the child right in the head?

Zhihao was busy trying to determine this child's sanity while Shuren just continued to stare into space, feeling that there was something strange about that kid.

He'd find out just what it was that made him suspicious in his eyes.


	19. Encouraging Words

Liang Fei and Xieren walked down the hall, one after the other. Xieren was still abuzz with joy. His head felt all full of cotton and his face a bit hot but neither was an unpleasant feeling.

His head pat was... really nice~

It wasn't like before, when Shizun would run his fingers through his hair but that gentle pressure, strong but light, was one he'd missed. He'd used to get them all the time when Shizun was Brother Tankian but now it was just a slight pat.

Xieren was greedy and wanted more.

As Xieren tried to come up with ways to get his beloved, proper head pat, Liang Fei was kicking himself for having done such a thing.

Xieren hadn't said a word but from the intense stare he'd been getting since they left, Liang Fei knew he was not pleased. Had he not made it clear that he disliked Liang Fei touching him yet he dared to do so so blatantly.

How terrible~

But how could he help it? It was unconscious, just a reflex from his time spent with his sister. She too was often reluctant to do the proper thing so to make her feel less sour about it, he'd always pet her gently. It never failed to sooth her ego and make her happy.

Part of his wondered when Xieren had gotten so dear to him that he started treating him like family. Of all his students, Xieren was the only one that had him forgetting who he was with and acting as if he was home.

It wasn't a bad feeling but he couldn't forget what his goals were.

While he greatly enjoyed his time as Shao Liang Fei, he didn't forget who he really was. That he, at some point in time, would have to go back home to his family. He'd have to make amends to his sister, who was probably crying like a baby. His Aunt and Uncle would be tired from work and need help around the house. His friend would berate him for scaring them while denying he was in that group.

He'd be back.

Then his thoughts drifted toward those he'd met while living as this villainous man. The other masters, who initially disliked him, were people who came to him despite his cold exterior. They didn't understand him to the level that allowed true friendship but Liang Fei enjoyed the conversations he could have.

His students, old and young alike, he loved them all. They were precious to him, bringing him jo he'd only dreamed about before. They were hard to deal with sometimes, most of them being rowdy and stubborn but as soon as they saw him, they'd smile and call out to him.

_Shizun! Shizun! Shizun!_

Every time they called out to him, their eyes filled with trust and admiration, Liang Fei felt just a bit more love for them. If it was possible, he'd be beaming from ear to ear all day long.

Then there was Xieren, who challenged him at all hours of the day, striving to best him for whatever reason yet always eager to listen to him vent his small concerns on him. Sometimes, they'd just sit around and relax, not saying a word. Just content to be around one another.

Those were his favorite times.

Liang Fei felt a bit bad for having a favorite despite going through all the trouble to avoid that. If he picked favorites, he might end up excluding the protagonist, whom he was still unsure of the identity of.

"Shizun!" The protagonist who followed close on his heels called out. "Shizun, about before, I-"

"I didn't mean to touch you, Xieren I just happened to rest my hand on your head." He interrupted, guessing what was about to said, Surely he was angry about being touched. "I couldn't help but notice though that you have taken better care of yourself recently. Good."

Liang Fei had been getting concerned. Xieren was always surrounded by girls yet never took very good care of himself. He was clean and no longer had to go days without a bath but the young man never brushed his hair so it was usually a mess.

When they were together, Liang Fei had gotten into the habit of brushing out his hair, to make him more presentable. While it was not the best, it was an improvement.

Especially since Xieren had grown into such a handsome young man. It was easy to see why girls flocked to his side and fawned over him. While Liang Fei was never close enough to hear their words, seeing the boy interacting with the opposite sex made him happy, wanting the child to meet others and possibly fall in love.

Whoever he chose would be lucky to have ended up with such a handsome young man. Who knew what he might look like as an adult. Anymore good looking and he might topple a nation or two.

Liang Fei looked forward to cheering him on.

"T-thank you, Shizun." Xieren mumbled, his hand unconsciously touching his now smooth hair. He'd been using the oil Xinyi had made him but even after all the admiring looks he'd gotten, Shizun's single word had him clutching his chest, trying to contain the feeling of pure joy. "A-Yi made it for me."

"Ah, I'm glad you are getting along with her still." He replied, nodding sagely. He already knew how close the two were. As far as he knew, Xinyi was the girl he'd met on his first day and was the only girl he saw Xieren with consistently.

She was also Zhihao's apprentice. He knew this since he'd often sneak in his office to borrow stuff and had to hide from the young girl himself. She really was a sweet child, working so hard.

(AN: Now I'm just imagining ninja LF hiding behind a conveniently shaped lamp.)

Xieren was also happy to have a sister like Xinyi. She was annoying most of the time but she could actually be useful at times like this. Her nagging about his hair had lead to him getting a head pat.

Perhaps he should show some kindness and reward her. Maybe by listening to one of her lectures on alchemy or something.

Later on, when he was suffering through one of her lengthy lectures, he'd think back to this moment and curse himself for putting his future self through this hell.

More importantly though, he still hadn't said what he wished to.

"Shizun, was that Elder Zi before in your study?" He asked, his tone soft though sharp to anyone else's ears. Xieren was very upset, seeing someone in Shizun's room. Disciples were fine, since he could compete with them if he trained hard enough but elders? He was not yet at that level.

How could he prove himself to be better if they were Elders? That would take too long!

"Oh, yes, Elder Shuren comes by everyone once in a while." He replied, not really thinking much about it. In his mind, he was just happy to see the young man take an interest in an adult other than him. He loved being relied on but sometimes, this master needed a break.

"Truly?" Xiren grumbled, disliking the casual tone his master used. He visited often? How come? For how long? What did they do when together? All these questions burned his tongue, so eager to ask but instead, all that came out was, "So you... like spending time with him?"

"It is pleasant to talk with adults." Liang Fei replied with a nod.

"Shizun doesn't like talking to us disciples?" Xieren's scowled deepened. Was he not adult enough to talk to Shizun anymore?

"Shizun adores his disciples." He assured, a bit confused but willing to continue. "You are all precious to me."

"But not to talk to?"

Liang Fei thought about his discussion with Shuren and grimaced a bit. The subject they spoke about was classified, meant to only stay between the three of them to ensure there were not leaks.

While Liang Fei didn't think there was any spies in their sect, assuming such thing was a quick way to get duped so it as decided they'd keep quiet about the specifics. It was also why the two protested so heavily his decision to take along a disciple as he went to investigate. It was selfish of him to endanger someone but he felt he'd need someone by his side.

Liang Fei, absent minded as he was, saw nothing strange about this thought of his. While he knew not why he felt this way, he knew he absolutely couldn't go on this mission alone. Someone had to come with him.

This was forefront in his mind when he came up with the reward for winning the Sunjin Conference.

Once again, the plot affected all those who dared enter it's domain.

Despite all that, Liang Fei knew better than to speak of such things with his students. There were things that children must not know and must not be spoken about.

"Talking with disciples in the way I speak with Elder Zi is... inappropriate." He replied, thinking it might be the right way to put it. Surely, Xieren would understand.

He did not.

With fists clenched, Xieren glared at the ground. Elder Zi was someone Shizun preferred to talk to? Did that mean that the things Shizun had spoken about with him had also been said to that man?

Xieren absolutely did not want that.

"We disciples are shameful to talk to?" He bit out, keeping his voice low. "... Are we so worthless?"

Liang Fei stopped to look at Xieren. He really was confused. Why was he so upset now? He wanted to end the conversation but from the look on the boys face, he was clearly in need of a response.

He didn't want his student to think he was viewed as worthless.

"No! It's not like that." He tried to reassure, a bit awkward since he wasn't even sure what was happening. How did he get worthless from all that he'd said? "It's just... there are things that only adults can discuss."

"Only adults?" At this, Xieren looked up, his eyes bright with confusion. Seeing the child a bit less upset, Liang Fei continued forward.

"En." He nodded, a bit relieved to have cleared things up. "Those matters can't be discussed around children, no matter what, because they are not appropriate."

Xieren said nothing, frowning as he thought to himself. Thinking the matter concluded, Liang Fei relaxed, eager to get out of the house. Just then, they reached the courtyard, which was filled with disciples.

There weren't as many as Liang Fei expected but it would make picking the best of them easier.

All the while, Xieren walked into the crowd, his mind plagued with just one question.

What are adult matters?

***

"Xuejie." Xieren ran up to his friend, seeing him some distance from the others. This wasn't anything new though. Despite how friendly the young man was, he rarely interacted with other disciples save for Xieren and Xinyi.

When asked, he'd just say something about 'knowing who and who not to know'.

Xieren didn't question it since he could understand the principal. Xuejie was a wary person, much like him it seemed.

"Yo, bro." He smiled in greeting. "I see you found Shizun. What were you guys talking about?"

"...Adult matters?" He replied, still a bit confused. Xuejie mirrored that confusion.

"...What?" Taken aback, Xuejie stared at his friend confused as to how this conversation got to that subject. As usual, Xieren cared nothing for this man's stability of sanity as he continued.

"Xuejie, do you know about things like that?" He demanded, pinning him to the tree Xuejie leaned on. The atmosphere was getting a bit strange and the young man felt a weird kind of pressure on him.

"Me?!" Xuejie jumped, wanting to escape but seeing none.

Xieren was very curious about the matter, wanting to know now if his Shizun was involved in something with that horrid man. In all the time he'd lived in the sect, he could only recall seeing Zi Shuren twice. Once in passing and the first when he'd first arrived.

His memory at the time was fuzzy since he was sick at the time but he'd never forget the look as that man stared down at him from his home. Cold and distant, as if looking at a bug.

He absolutely couldn't let such a person be near his Shizun.

"You always act like you know a lot so you must know about things like this." He stated, cocking a brow. "So what are adult matters? You know about them, right?"

Xuejie relaxed, happy that this was just Xieren being curious about the subject rather than something ambiguous. Knowing Shizun, he probably didn't explain a thing to this young man.

Though considering Xieren's age, Xuejie was more confused as to how he didn't already know about things like this. Surely, he noticed the changes to his body, certain reactions to stimuli and the like. How could he not know?

Then again, if Shizun was talking about such things, perhaps this young man was a late bloomer.

_Ah, his poor protagonist~_

As the most mature person in the room, Xuejie felt it was his duty to enlighten the young man on the beauties of the adult world. He'd dreamed of this day.

"Adult matters are generally matters that occur between a man and a woman." He answered wisely, smirking to himself. "A unity between their bodies and hearts."

"A unity?" He echoed, confused still. "I don't understand."

Xuejie clutched his chest, wiping a tear in his heart for this pure child before him. He didn't even know of the wonders of the fairer sex or even of the rapture of his teen years.

Perhaps he hadn't even cared for himself in that regard.

Oh this poor pitiful child!

Xuejie was about to speak but was interrupted by Liang Fei calling them all together. While most of the disciples were nervous, they were confident they could do as their master wished and make him proud.

"We can talk about this later." Xuejie said, gesturing to the slowly forming crowd in front of them. "I promise."

"I'll hold you to that." Xieren said, letting the young man go. With an elegant stride, Xieren glided into the crowd, unknowingly gaining the attention of some of the disciples around him. Xuejie could only light a candle for those poor students, attracted to the young man's aura and poise.

Really, have some mercy on us mere mortals, Mr good-looking. Xuejie thought, sighing with envy.

Yet even as he was admired and envied, Xieren's eyes were solely on Liang Fei, who stood proud and tall. Gazing out into the crowd, his expression stoic, he filled the air with tension as he spoke.

"Today's match is just to choose who will represent me in the conference. While you might be up against disciples much stronger than you, you should feel light of heart." He said, unknowingly adding to their concerns. "It is true that if you lose, it might reflect badly on me but I'm not concerned since you are all my students. There's no need to be nervous at all." He said, missing the sweat dripping down everyone's neck. Such a task, a role, was one that everyone wished to hold but also came with so much pressure.

The system of choosing a representative was a series of one on one matches in which the last 3 disciples standing would be sent to face the other chosen disciples from other divisions. One person from each division was to be sent to represent the sect as a whole.

This tournament style of choosing was the most efficient but also lead to some unfair pairings since it was entirely random. This was the reason for many of the disciples nerves but to hear him speak them out so bluntly was worse.

If they didn't know any better, they'd swear he was deliberately adding on their nerves as a cruel joke but looking at the light in his eyes, they could tell.

This was Shizun encouraging them.

Suddenly, all the strength left them, leaving them wondering how to overcome this man's 'pep talk' and do so with enthusiasm.

Yet the ordeal continued, as Liang Fei casually listed out all the ways things could go wrong and how hard it'd be to continue. All the while Liang Fei paced back and forth, his focus on getting his ideas out.

He had wanted his students to know how stressful things would be. To him, not telling them what to expect was a cruel act, that would leave them floundering about when things got rough. While he wasn't sure about a lot of things, he knew about stress, so he chose to save his precious students from that by laying bare all that could go wrong, from the common to the vastly unlikely but possible.

Hence he spoke for a few minute before turning back to crowd of students who'd signed up to represent him.

Yet all he was met with was a mostly deserted yard.

_Eh? Where did everyone go?_


	20. Innocence Lost

Unsurprisingly, the results of his mini tournament were quickly determined without much fuss, though the initial number of disciples dropped dramatically after his speech.

The three chosen was Kang Su, water elemental, Xuejie, Wind elemental and Xieren, fire elemental.

All in all, Liang Fei was impressed by his disciples performance. Each was very strong and Liang Fei was tempted to have them all represent him but that was not possible. Too bad.

Liang Fei was about to return home when he was stopped by Xieren, who stared up at him expectantly. The two stared at one another for a while, both waiting for the other to speak.

After a minute, Xieren broke the silence.

"Shizun, did I do well?" He asked, wanting to be praised. He'd fought hard and had wanted to impress the man in front of him. He might not be able to defeat Shizun but he could show himself to be his strongest disciple.

Liang Fei sighed, not sure how to respond. Xieren did indeed do well but...

His fighting style was a bit wild.

Liang Fei felt bit responsible, recognizing some of the moves he'd used during the match. It was the ones he used when fighting as Tankian. Part of him was impressed he(XR) could mimic him so well though he(LF) was mostly concerned. While he'd refrained from the more underhanded moves he (LF) used, it was still very clearly feral.

Watching the fight was like watching a mauling.

Still, Xieren had the kind of grace that allowed even such savagery to look as elegant as a waltz so perhaps only he noticed it. Others seemed more impressed with his speed and ferocity, which was impressive.

"It was... a fight." He replied, a bit unsure how to express his feelings just then. He was proud that his student was so strong but a bit concerned about how much he'd(XR) picked up from him(LF).

Xieren wasn't sure what that response meant but felt like it wasn't a positive thing.

Thinking back to his brief matches, he knew he'd fought a bit more recklessly than usual. He had struck hard and fast so he could finish the match quickly. He wanted to be the last one standing.

He very much showed off his less than ideal self and perhaps Shizun was disappointed? Would he dislike a student like him?

"Did... did I do something wrong?" He mumbled, meekly looking up at the man before him. He briefly recalled that Shizun liked cute things and while he had grown some, perhaps he could still get a reaction?

As expected, Liang Fei softened a little, his brows relaxing just a bit. Xieren inwardly sighed with relief.

"It's nothing like that." He assured, resting a hand on the young man's shoulder, much to his(XR) disappointment. He assumed the head pat from before meant he'd get more but now the man was actively avoiding doing so.

He'd just work harder.

Unaware of the unspoken challenge that had been taken up by his student, Liang Fei continued.

"I just hope you are prepared to compete as passionately as you did today. You will be fighting against tougher students after this."

"Shizun doesn't think I can do it?" He pouted, wanting the man to look at him.

"No, I know you are capable but you mustn't be arrogant and assume you will win." He explained, folding his hands behind his back. "Work hard and you will succeed."

"Yes, Shizun!" He said, bowing. He then looked up with excitement. "Ah, can we spar today?" He asked, nearly buzzing with energy. For some reason, he wanted to spar. Every time they did, Xieren got to get close to Shizun. Some days he could get close enough to take in his unique scent and touch him.

"Now?" Liang Fei asked, thinking about it for moment before shaking his head. "You must rest up otherwise you won't be ready for tomorrow."

"Yes..." He grumbled, feeling dissatisfaction in his heart but keeping his face calm. He didn't want Shizun to think he was impatient.

With that, the two parted ways, though Xieren kept turning back to look at Liang Fei's retreating back. Sadness filled his chest as the man walked on, never looking back once.

***

Hours had passed and Xieren was in no better a mood than before. He felt very frustrated though he wasn't sure why. He had been praised by Shizun but he had wanted to talk to him more.

To ask about what 'adult matters' could be.

From the little he'd gotten from Xuejie, it seemed to mean intimacy of some kind. He doubted Shizun had been in someway intimate with Elder Zhihao present but the thought still had Xieren's blood boiling.

How was it that he wasn't allowed to touch Shizun as he'd like but those other men could?

The thought of other men touching Shizun made him unconsciously growl, making the few nearby shiver and run off, scared of the sudden feeling of danger surrounding the young man.

Only one person was unconcerned and that person had already slung an arm around Xieren's shoulder.

"Hey bro!" Xuejie said, smiling jovially, unaware of how close he was to being killed. Had he smelled unfamiliar, Xieren would have very well have snap his neck.

"Xuejie." Xieren sighed, feeling a bit calmer at the familiar scent. He was still mad but had already suppressed it deep in his heart. Xuejie lead them to his room, which confused Xieren since he'd never had anyone come by before.

No, Shizun had been there before followed by Xinyi.

After checking to see if anyone had seen them, Xuejie pulled out a pile of papers, his grin manic with smugness.

"You asked and I have delivered, bro." He proclaimed, smirking as he sat down across from Xieren. Seeing the young man frown in confusion, Xuejie continued. "You asked before about 'adult matters' and I'm here to reveal the wonders of adulthood."

"Ah." Xieren relaxed a bit, feeling a bit wary. He definitely wanted to know since Shizun seemed keen on keeping this from him.

Xuejie preened, reading his friends response as a yes so he continued. Handing over some papers, he started to explain.

"Now to start, this is a lady. You may look on but don't get too excited." He joked, waving a hand dismissively. "We are close but not close enough to enjoy each other's company in such a way. Surely you don't want to see another's man's-"

"Xuejie, what is this." Xieren asked, his cold eyes looking at the image before with pure judgement and bemusement.

"..."

"Is this supposed to be female?" He asked, holding up the image with a wry smirk. While the image was definitely female, it was hard to come to that conclusion just looking at it. A literal stick figure with two large circles where the breast would be was all any would see.

"Shut up..." Xuejie muttered, his face red.

"I believe humans are supposed to have more definition to their bodies than this." Xieren ruthlessly continued, amused by the image more than anything. "Did you not once boast about being an admirer of the female form and yet-"

"Shut up!! It's not my fault, okay?" He countered, slapping a hand down on the floor. "Drawing with a brush is hard and I went through a lot of parchment to bring you this."

"You wasted so much paper and this was what you brought forth?"

"Oi, don't act all high and mighty." He grumbled. "We both know you can't draw any better than me."

"I could probably than this though." He muttered, staring down at the page once more.

"You!" Who was this cruel man before him? Was this how bros treated one another? See how he wouldn't share his stash with this ungrateful guy! "Do you want my help or do you want to go and ask someone else?"

"No, please continue." Seeing that he might have pushed the joke too far, Xieren relented. Just a little. "I will ignore your... artistic shortcomings." He said magnanimously, as if he was the one doing the favor.

"...You take after Shizun way too much. It's scary." He sighed, shaking his head. Despite his bruised ego, he continued on. "But worry not, bro, for this Xuejie will enlighten you to the wonders of adulthood."

Xieren looked on, his expression cold and perfectly calm as Xuejie explained a lot of things to him. They were foreign and strange but familiar as he had felt all the things he said was normal for young men.

As he was told more, his head both above and below started to feel strange. He finally had a name to this feeling but knowing didn't make it any better.

"These urges," He cut in, wanting to know more. "you say, are usually because of women, yes?"

"Yeah, why?"

"What about men?" He asked, wanting to know if such things were possible between men.

"What about them?" Xuejie still didn't get it.

"Do..." He wanted to ask if men would have such relations but then it would possibly implicate Shizun since he was the reason Xieren was asking to begin with. As such, he changed his question. "Is it strange to feel such things about men?"

"Eh?" Xuejie wasn't sure what to say at first cause he was still trying to fathom what had been asked. Had he really asked... "W-why ask that? That isn't a subject I know a lot about bro."

Xuejie wasn't bent like that so how would he know?! He knew there were people like that but that wasn't him so how could he answer that?

"Then it doesn't happen?" He asked, his heart a mix of joy at Shizun not having such feelings for the sect leader but deeper down a bit hurt. He wasn't sure why though.

Seeing the expression on his friends face, Xuejie relented, not wanting his friend to be confused. What kind of friend left another hanging with just an 'i don't know.'

"I mean, it does but not generally." He said, a bit doubtfully. "Being like that with another man is a bit strange so..." He continued on but Xieren stopped listening. To feel such things for a man was strange? Was he strange for feeling as he did?

Xuejie was smart on matters concerning other people. Xieren was not a social person so he mostly relied on him to tell him how things should be. He trusted Xuejie and knew that affections were between men and women.

But Shizun was a man and he still felt the burning heat of desire for him.

So perhaps Xieren was strange.

The night continued on until the lights were put out. Xuejie left, leaving behind some booklets of 'light reading' for Xieren to enjoy. To his surprise, it was actually well drawn pictures so he concluded it must have been bought.

Only Xuejie would spend hard earned money on such things.

Yet the feeling that Xieren was strange continued as he used a small flame spell to illuminate the pages. The images were very ambiguous, making one aware of what was happening but still covering up just enough.

Yet he felt nothing but mild embarrassment at seeing naked women.

Flipping through the pages, he began wondering if Shizun had books like these. Did he like them? Did he touch himself like Xuejie said.

All of a sudden the image of Shizun, lying in bed with his hair unbound rushed to the forefront of his mind.

Xieren sat up quickly, pressing a hand to his now hardening erection. He had hoped pressing on it would make it go away but no such luck. The little junior, now named pillar of strength, refused to go down, throbbing as his master's mind wandered.

Seeking a distraction from such thoughts about the man, his eyes fell on the booklet. The page showed off a man and woman in a revealing pose, the man pressing the woman's back to his chest as his hand roamed over her mostly covered chest. Seeing it, it was clear the man was fondling her privates and she was enjoying it.

Unbidden, he imagined Shizun in such a position, his body displayed before him as he looked away. His expression was still cold but the flush to his skin made him all the more appealing.

Xieren's fingers twitched, his desire to reach out and touch the man increasing. His fingers brushed against himself and he let out a small moan. What brought him to his end was recalling the feeling of Shizun's fingers brushing through his hair. That tingling feeling as his calloused hands brushed his scalp.

"Tch." He shivered as his body curled up on itself, trying to contain his moans. It was hard and he had to bite his lip to keep quiet. Unconsciously, his hands clenched, prolonging the pleasure just a bit longer. The feelings passed, even as his body continue to shake.

He definitely didn't dislike the feeling.

Shame filled him as he continued to touch himself with just his fingers. All the while, Shizun's calm and soothing voice cooed in his ears, praising him endlessly.

_Not too fast now._

_Is that fine?_

_Do you feel good?_

_I'm glad. Keep going then._

This continued throughout the night, the only sounds being the quiet gasps of air and the turning of pages.

***

The next morning, as the bird chirped eagerly, leave fell from a tree. Confused, the bird looked down, wondering why it's nest was shaking. Some distance below, there was a young man, banging his head against the tree trunk.

 _Oi, go bang your head against someone else's nest._ The bird complained as it flew away to get breakfast.

Despite the birds clear displeasure, Xieren continued to bang his head, wanting to get the night before out of his head.

How shameful! Thud.

How ungrateful. Thud.

How gratifying... Thud.

How was he supposed to look at Shizun after what he'd done. The things he'd imagined was... no, he must never think of them again or else he might explode.

Looking on, Xinyi, who was standing nearby couldn't help but sigh. Her brother was way too abusive toward trees.

"A-Ren, please leave the trees alone." She jokingly chided as she walked over. "They have yet to wrong you though if this continues on, they might find reason to."

"What are you doing here?" He didn't bother to turn back, feeling his sister's teasing gaze on the back of his head,

"Other than watching you attempt to smack the stupid from your head?" She asked, walking closer. In her hands was a basic filled with gardening tools. "I was about to do some errands. Would you like to walk with me or are you too busy?" She asked, leaning against the greatly abused tree trunk.

"You have become a lot less fun to talk to." He complained, glowering at the pretty young girl. It was strange how despite the images he'd had seen the night before, Xinyi was still just Xinyi. He felt no lust for her.

"As a little sister, it is my duty to take every opportunity to tease." She countered, giggling. Hearing those words, Xieren felt content, figuring that such matters were not important just then.

Reaching up, he took Xinyi's basket from her and was about to walk with her when a familiar voice called out to them.

"Brother Xieren!"


	21. Pep Talk

Xinyue had been walking around the sect grounds, her chaperones and guide leading them to the sect leaders quarters when she had noticed someone nearby. Even from afar, she could recognize the man she'd met before. 

All throughout the tour, she'd been peeking from behind her fan, hoping to catch sight of Brother Xieren. He had told her he was a member of this sect and by luck, she just so happened to be coming by to visit a family member.

The stars must have predestined their meeting!

Courteously excusing herself, she ran over, wanting to greet the man so they could talk more. Perhaps grow closer since they couldn't before. Yet before she could get close, another woman stepped up to him, their posture intimate and casual.

Very much different from her interaction with the man.

So she called out to them. Seeing the two, it was hard not to pair them. A beautiful young lady who looked soft and amiable next to a strong and tall handsome man. Just looking at them, so close together, one couldn't help but wonder how close they were.

Xinyue immediately saw a rival yet smiled gently.

"Brother Xieren, how fortunate to see you again. It's been some time." She said, greeting him with a smile. She then turned to Xinyi, her eyes considerably less soft. "Ah, and this lovely young lady as well. May I ask your name, elder sister."

Xinyi was initially confused as to why she was feeling so uncomfortable but soon found the source. This young miss was challenging her? Even going so far as to call her 'elder'.

 _We'll see about that._ She thought, returning an equally fake but outwardly sincere looking smile.

"Elder? Please, don't say such silly things." She laughed, waving off her implication. "This little sister wishes to know your name first, since you wish to know mine."

Since this... young miss knew her brother, she wasn't about to let some stranger walk all over her. Xinyue accepted the silent challenge. What kind of sister would she be?

"Un, I am Xinyue, third daughter of the Su clan." She said, greeting Xinyue as was proper. As a young miss from a proper and well established family, her mannerisms were worlds apart from Xinyi, who was of humble birth.

Yet that didn't deter the ever confident Xinyi.

"Xinyi, head apprentice to Elder Zhihao." She said, throwing her own prestige at the young miss before her. If she thought just being born into a noble family was so great, just being born was such a feat, how would she feel when compared to her, a low class girl who earned a coveted spot with effort and talent. "A pleasure to meet you."

"I as well."

The two shared a laugh that sounded jovial but Xieren could feel the tension boiling between the two. Part of him wanted to run, confused at why those smiles never reached their eyes. His chance to escape however passed him by when the two girls turned him.

 _You should have run when you had the chance_ , his male instincts told him. Still, he chose to remain, mostly due to having no means of escape. He was stuck between the two girls and his best friend, the tree.

"Ne, A-ren who is this girl?" Xinyi leaned on his shoulder, inwardly smirking at Xinyue, whose smile stiffened at their closeness. Xieren was very particular with who he allowed to touch him and Xinyue knew she was not one of them. "Is she close to you?"

"No, we met in town I think." He replied, really not wanting to get involved in whatever this was becoming. He could see the sneakiness in Xinyi's eyes and knew he was stuck. He just hoped it wasn't too bothersome.

Xinyue took a step forward, edging close to Xieren's free arm but not touching.

"Brother Xieren saved me from some hooligans." She looked up at the man in question, her voice low and coquettish. "I was so scared but he came to my rescue."

"Did he now?" Xinyi muttered, looking to Xieren for confirmation. He was wise enough to keep quiet. Thinking about it, Xinyi was doubtful. Xieren was 'nice' but not in general. He rarely did anything without a reason so perhaps...

Xieren felt the gaze of his sister burning into his skull. He didn't have to look to know what she wanted.

"It would be dishonorable for a man to allow someone in need to suffer." He sighed, knowing he couldn't keep quiet much longer.

 _There it was._  Xinyi nodded, understanding completely. It was something Elder Shao said pretty often so of course her silly brother went along with it. The man could ask Xieren to walk off a cliff and this love struck fool would be halfway there before he even finished.

Part of her worried about Xieren, concerned he might be doomed to an eternity of unrequited love. While she was unfamiliar with love, she could imagine how frustrating it was to love another but not receive it back.

Xuejie was naive enough to write it all off as just admiration but Xinyi was smarter than that. She saw the way her brother would stare after Elder Shao. While she had no name to place on it, her female instincts told her that there was no way that such looks were just 'admiration'.

Even if Xieren insisted otherwise.

"I see." She said, a bit amused. A sharp bell sounded somewhere, reminding Xinyi that she indeed had other matters to attend to.She sighed. "Well I have to go now, A-Ren. I still have errands to attend to."

"You don't need any help?" Xieren turned to her, his expression clearly frustrated. The sight made her chuckle, even as she felt a twinge of guilt for leaving him with this young miss. He clearly wanted to leave.

Yet she doubted he would be allowed to just slip away.

"Sorry, I'm going to the Alchemy division and you need a pass to enter." She explained, a bit sad she couldn't just snatch him away but she couldn't risk offending a noble lady too much. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Lady Su Xinyue."

With a bow, she left, leaving the two standing by the tree. Xieren sighed, feeling abandoned. How annoying.

Xinyue, on the other hand, was beaming, happy to finally have some time alone with Xieren. They were even in an open field, so it shouldn't be deemed inappropriate.

"Brother Xieren, I-" She started only to be interrupted.

"My lady?" They both turned to see a handsome young man ran up to them. While his appearance was that of a man in his 20's, his demeanor was refined. Xing He stopped beside Xinyue.

"Brother Xing He? Why are you here?" She asked, disappointed. She had thought she had more time. "Did you need me?"

"Yes, we are expected..." He started but quickly stopped to glance at Xieren, who was glowering at him. "elsewhere so please come with me."

"B-but-"

"My lady, please come with me."

"Fine. I'm sorry Brother Xieren." She sighed, turning back to Xieren. She was surprised to see that, rather than looking at her, he was glaring at Xing He. Seeing the look, Xinyue felt a bit giddy, assuming he was upset their time had been cut short.

She  **was**  in his heart!

"Perhaps we can talk after our matter here is dealt with." she said, hoping to comfort the very annoyed young man before her. "We'll be here for a few days."

"My lady." Xing He led her away, ignoring her friendly wave at Xieren. He had no issue with her interest, though they had more pressing issues to attend to. One being the fact that he could still feel the younger man's eyes burning holes into his back. He didn't turn around but he could feel such malice. But why? He hadn't-

He briefly recalled the last time he felt such a presence. It had been in the town nearby where he and his charge had gotten into a scuffle with some stranger. He had been wearing a mask and somehow managed to fend off cultivators with nothing by a club. He'd even sprained his wrist like nothing. It had infuriated him at the time.

Yet throughout the whole ordeal, he felt a malicious gaze burning into him, as if he was being watched by a stalking beast. He'd ignored it since the man before him was more of a threat but now...

There had been a young boy standing behind that masked man but he couldn't recall what he looked like. All he remembered was the feeling of being watched.

He briefly looked back, only to find there was no one there. Letting out a breath, Xing He scolded himself for acting so paranoid. Even if that young man and the kid were one and the same, he was still much stronger than him.

There was no need to be sweating like he was.

***

Xieren's mood was getting worse by the minute. Not only did he end up bumping into that bastard again, but their daily routine was postponed as well since Shizun was going to leave sooner than expected.

The news shocked everyone since they had thought he'd be leaving in a few days. Xieren however, was devastated. He'd wanted to see Shizun, even if the thought of talking to him made him want to run away.

He felt ashamed for having used the image of Shizun in such a way but seeing him was why he even bothered getting up everyday. It was a comforting ritual, if nothing else.

And now he couldn't even do that.

He walked into to food hall, happy to see that there weren't that many disciples present. His mood was not ready to deal with the general stupidity of people.

Speaking of.

"Yo bro, over here!" Xuejie called out, gaining the attention of everyone present. Ignoring the looks, he walked over. As soon as he sat down, he was pinned by the young man's gaze.

"So?"

Xieren blinked, question marks clearly in view.

"So?" He echoed.

"My present? Did you like it?"

Thinking about the night before, his face flushed and he looked away, letting his bangs shield him from Xuejie's scrutiny. He still was having trouble coming to terms with... thinking such things about Shizun, about a man.

Yet even the thought of the pleasure he felt made him want to run back to his room to fantasize even more. The book he'd been given was filled with pretty women yet all he could think of was a man who never smiled yet made Xieren's heart race.

What was wrong with him!?

"I... I don't want to talk about it." He muttered, snatching a cup to help cover his nervousness. The fact the cup was empty was not, in any way important.

"Ah, I get it, I get it." Xuejie chuckled, amused at seeing a 'shy' Xieren. Who knew cold and cool Xieren could be so demure. "It'd be weird to talk about those kind of things but honestly, I'm more shocked you had no clue about this."

"Who could I possibly ask?" He countered, cocking a brow. In the sect, while housing both young men and women, the two groups rarely congregated so such matters would not usually come up. It was the reason why Xieren, Xinyi and Xuejie spending so much time together was considered an oddity.

"Fair enough. But at least you know now." He shrugged, pouring himself a cup. "I'm now expecting a lot out of you, bro."

Xieren blinked, again confused but curious. Xuejie huffed, frustrated at this strange guy.

"I mean, no more acting all nonchalant with all the girls throwing themselves at you." He cried, feeling both envious and resentful toward his friend. The guy was sought after by so many pretty girls yet remained so intent on staying pure! He even acted as if he was unaware of their interest. How dense was he?! "It's super cool but also frustrating for those of us who can't get girls!"

"Perhaps it isn't meant to be?" Xieren mused, finding the interaction entertaining. Xuejie slammed his cup down.

"You!"

Xieren was chuckling himself, his mood slightly improving, when a thought occurred to him.

"Ah!"

"Hm, what is it?"

"I just realized..." Xieren frowned, his expression gravely serious. Xuejie unconsciously swallowed nervously. "Xinyi, she's also female, right?"

"Eh!?" Xuejie, at first, was struck. Then when the words said hit him, he couldn't help but cry out. "W-what did you think she was? A protozoa?!"

Xieren had no clue what a protozoa was but figured that it didn't matter.

"It's not that, just... I never noticed." Thinking of the night before, Xieren felt a bit flustered but the notion that the images he'd seen in the book were the same sex as Xinyi was hard to fathom. He couldn't imagine Xinyi in such a way.

The thought alone made him shudder with distaste.

"You never noticed Xinyi was a girl?" Xuejie looked doubtful, because surely this man before wasn't that unaware.

"Xinyi is Xinyi."

"And girls are girls!" Xuejie cried, frustrated. "Xinyi is a beauty, the most beautiful girl in the sect and you are telling me, in all this time, you never noticed!?"

Xieren didn't know what to say to that. Had he known Xinyi was considered the most beautiful? Of course. Most of his time spent in the sect was him being harassed and bullied for being around the lovely flower. But Xinyi being beautiful was different than her being a female. At least to him.

Before he could speak his mind, the flower of the Tianjian sect joined them, smiling blissfully as she sat beside them. Her eyes glowed with mirth.

"Ah, what are you two talking about so passionately? Perhaps I might take part?" She offered, excited at the prospect of joining in. Her two favorite brothers were speaking so fiercely, it must be interesting.

"A-ah, Lovely Xinyi, I don't think-" Xuejie tried to speak but was interrupted by Xieren, who spoke in his usual matter-of-fact way.

"I was just asking Xuejie if you were female." He stated shamelessly, as Xuejie looked on, helpless in the face of this tragedy unfolding.

Xinyi froze, her mind blank. Of all the things she expected... this was no where close to what she thought was being spoken about. She blinked, trying to wrap her head around this.

"I-is that a question?" She asked, after coming to grips with the fact that, yes, this was what was happening right now. "Were you in doubt before this?"

"No, not really. I just didn't notice until now." He explained, not wanting to tell her everything. It was not right to discuss such things with a lady present after all. However, Xuejie felt the need to continue.

"Shizun told him to be gentle with girls and try to be nice." He lied, coming up with the perfect excuse to cover them. If Shizun was involved, Xieren was prone to acting and saying strange things.

"Of course Elder Shao is involved." She muttered, sighing helplessly. Usually, Xieren's strangeness only came out when that man said anything. "Wait, does this have to do with that girl who was all over A-Ren today?"

"Oh?" Xuejie cried, excited to hear his bro had already snagged a girl. "There was a girl like that?"

"Yeah, that girl was so sticky, it was strange." She complained, serving herself some food. "This big sister doesn't approve of such a partner for my family's A-Ren."

"I wasn't planning on getting any closer." Xieren snorted, thinking about the Xing He guy. If he kept talking to her, he'd have to deal with that bastard as well.

"Ah, but why not?! She's pretty and nice, right?" Xuejie asked, surprised at the double rejection.

"I don't know. Maybe." Xieren was a bit doubtful. He had been ignoring her mostly, since he had no interest in her. She was a liar and manipulator so he felt very guarded around her. "She should at least keep better company though."

"Better company?" Xinyi blinked at that, thinking she must have missed something.

"Her companions are..." Again, he thought about Xing He attacking Tankian and trying to harm that person and his mood plummeted. "Annoying."

Both his friends shared a look, clearly not believing that 'annoying' was the word he'd wanted to use.

"How so?" 

"They-" He started but was interrupted by a crash. People were still just waking up so it caught everyone by surprise when they heard a voice shouting.

"Hey, now, what kind of garbage is this?!" An unfamiliar face yelled, staring a bowl of red pot on the floor. The ominous red concoction had been tossed to the ground as soon as he'd taken a bite. "It's inedible!"

"How childish." Xinyi rolled her eyes, unamused by the man who continued on. It quickly became clear who this person was, since they were so 'kind' enough to proclaim their name to the heavens, lest the mere mortals miss it.

He Qiang.

Xuejie frowned, confused. Why was this person here?

"Those guys are-" He started when Xieren spoke up.

"It's them, the annoying ones." He grumbled, clenching his teeth. He Qiang started demanding to be served better food than what was before him.

"Y-you know them?" Xuejie asked, clearly very shocked.

"I met them a long time ago." He replied vaguely, not wanting to explain.

"Not today?" He asked, staring at the table as if waiting for it to reveal the answers to his questions.

"Were you not listening, A-jie?" Xinyi sighed, thinking Xuejie was just being silly. "That's what he said."

The conversation went on, unaware of the drastic change in plot that had already derailed the story. The plot continued on, moving forward despite the changes. While the interaction between He Qiang and Xieren was negative, it was now even worse than the original since Xieren had met them before as a child.

The small child who clung to the mysterious masked towns-person, was never supposed to be there. Even the masked man was never meant to exist at all.

But who could you really blame? How could that absent minded man who never read the story know just how much damage his simple decision to go into seclusion and hang around town would cause. People who were never meant to meet until later, met and animosity that was supposed to be tame had transformed into full on hatred.

Tired of hearing the man berate the cooks, Xieren stormed over, his anger reaching a boiling point. He stepped between He Qiang and the cooking ladies, who were already haggard from their regular jobs. To be chastised for things they couldn't help was too much.

"Who are you?" He demanded, scowling at this person. He was already in a bad mood since he'd been told to go eat elsewhere despite the fact that Xinyue was allowed to eat with the sect leader. They'd come together yet he was treated as lesser. Why? Just cause she was related to one of your masters, she is allowed yet he wasn't?

"Does it matter?" He countered, narrowing his eyes. "You are guests yet you are causing so much commotion over a simple bowl of soup."

"Simple?! This is horrendous." He said, pointing that the mess on the ground. "If the cooks think this is worthy to be put in front of me, then they should expect this."

"Repeat that." He growled, his teeth clenched.

"Are you going deaf from the fumes?" He mocked, sneering. "This is horrendous, horrible, disgusting. Not fit for even swine."

This... this bastard was insulting his Shizun's food?! That man, for years, had woken up before anyone just to cook some for everyone, though only Xieren ate it. Even after a long day of training, he never missed a day, looking pleased in his own way at the sight of the empty pot every night.

And this little shit called the result of all that work disgusting?!

He Qiang continued to list out all the flaws in the soup, unaware of the low growl rumbling from the young man before him. He could sense the glare being directed his way but he never let something like that get in the way of his thoughts.

Besides he could tell this disciple was weaker than him so he knew even if they came to blows, he'd win.

Sensing things were going downhill fast, Xuejie ran over to help dissolve the situation but...

The first fist flew and landed. He Qiang found himself on the floor, his nose bleeding. There was a moment of silence that fell.

After that, it was chaos.

While He Qiang tried to punch Xieren back, the formerly tired disciples who had been content to watch, formed a wall, holding the raging teen back. Xinyi had slipped out to call an elder while Xuejie smuggled Xieren out of the hall, which was harder than expected since the teen also wanted to continue to fight. He was snarling like a beast and his strength was almost too much for the young man. Had Xieren not recognized Xuejie's scent, he'd have already tossed him aside already.

"Damn it!" He cursed, pushing Xieren out the back doorway. The cooks had been nice enough to let him slip away through there. "Bro, you have to get out of here."

"But-"

"If you get caught, you won't get a chance to compete in the Sunjin conference."

"Xuejie..."

"Don't worry, I'll make sure no one tattles on you." He assured, patting his friend on the shoulder. "That He Qiang guy was being an ass and I doubt anyone will side with him. But you have to get out of here." He checked to see if anyone was around. Seeing no one, he pushed Xieren forward. "Now go."

***

Xieren soon found himself wandering about the sect, keeping out of sight. This was easy for him, since he'd been doing that since he'd first arrived. Those times he'd been hiding from bullies and sneaking meals in hopes it wouldn't be stolen. He hadn't had to do that for years.

He'd forgotten what it felt like.

He didn't like it.

Unbidden, he started growling again, memories of that long ago past his was setting his temper aflame.

"Xieren?" The young man jumped, noticing his master appearing from between the trees. How had he missed him?

"Shizun."

"Did you hear that just now?" Liang Fei asked, looking around the place.

"Just now?"

"The growling." Liang Fei grew closer, still searching for the source of the growling. It was definitely from some kind of beast. He couldn't allow it to harm his student but first he had to find it.

"O-oh, that." Xieren blushed, not wanting to admit it had been him. He hadn't even realized he was doing it. "Um... no?"

"Is that a question?"

 _Why were so many folks asking that of him today?_  He thought, taking a step back.

"No." Xieren replied, staring down at the ground. He had intended to say something else but as soon as their eyes met, he recalled the night before. All the naughty things he'd imagined this man doing. He couldn't look at him.

Liang Fei sighed, not sure what was wrong with this young man. What was he doing so far from everyone else? Had he been bullied again. Pushing down the rush of protectiveness within him, he took a step forward.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be..." His eyes drifted down and noticed blood on Xieren's hand. His heart jumped and he grabbed the young man's hand. "What happened to your hand?"

"Eh?" Xieren was getting dizzy from all the blood rushing to his head. Shizun was... he was holding his hand?! Eh? Was he saying stuff too? His mind couldn't keep up.

"Let me see." Liang Fei examined Xieren's hand, completely unaware of how his actions were affecting the pure youth before him. Instead, he wiped the blood away, worried his student might be hurt. "You knuckles are swollen and your thumb looks bruise. You didn't clench your fist correctly." He huffed, relieved he wasn't too hurt.

"Sorry."

"Rather then apologize, tell me who you punched." He sighed, a bit annoyed.

"I didn-"

"Do not lie to me, Xieren." He snapped, his free hand slamming against the tree trunk behind him. His eyes narrowed just the slightest bit as he pinned Xieren to the spot. The young man leaned back against tree, staring up at the older man wide eyed.

(AN: Full on Kabedon!)

With one hand pressed against the tree to prevent escape and the other holding the young man's hand, the position was very ambiguous, creating a sense of intimacy. They could feel each others breath on their faces.

Xieren's face was completely flushed, his heart racing from not only the proximity but the aftermath of being chastised by the older man so firmly. The command was firm, like a hand around one's neck.

Just the slightest clench and his breath would be stolen.

Damn it, he was getting hard again! While Xieren felt very ashamed for his body's reaction to Shizun's simple touch, he couldn't move away, letting his warmth seep into him.

He loved it~

Xieren really wanted to hug Shizun right then though he was unsure what he'd do afterward. That book had shown a lot but men and women were different.

"Xieren, are you listening to me?" Liang Fei asked, seeing the young man's blank (dazed) expression. He always got that look when Liang Fei scolded him recently. Truly, teens were hard to deal with. They never paid attention.

"Yes!" Xieren blinked, recalling what was happening. Really, Shizun was way too cool. It was distracting.

"Do you think this master is stupid?" Liang Fei asked, confusing the young man before him.

"N-never! But I-"

"No buts, tell me who has been bullying you." He said, folding his hands behind his back. "I will take care of it."

"...Shizun." Xieren was so happy just then. He'd expected the man to be angry but... Shizun was Shizun.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?"

"...I got into a fight." He replied, mumbling as he leaned back against the tree contritely. Anyone view such a sight would assume he was being scolded and want to comfort him.

Even Liang Fei felt a twinge of guilt for making this child (in his mind) sad but he suppressed it.

"Clearly, but why?" He asked, staring him down. The only sign of his innermost thoughts was the cocked brow elegantly questioning Xieren. "You are usually very well behaved."

"I'm sorry..."

"I don't need an apology." Liang Fei remained still, waiting for an explanation. Out of all his students, Xieren was the last person he expected to get into a fight. He seemed to be getting along with his classmates so why?

"That person..." He growled, still mad about the whole incident. That damn bastard! " They insulted someone I care for."

"Truly?"

"Un, that person worked hard on something and that bastard called it disgusting." He explained, his eyes narrowing as he recalled that bastards words. "I couldn't just-"

"No, that's not what you do." Liang Fei sighed, feeling a bit more like the adult than usual. He hadn't expected to have to teach this kind of lesson. It wasn't something he, a person who fought often in his old life, could really chastise.

"Was I not supposed to defend that person?" As expected, Xieren went on the defensive.

"No, but if you are going to fight, don't let yourself get hurt like this." He retorted, pointing at Xieren's swollen hand. Really, the child could wield a sword and supposedly fly on it yet couldn't throw a proper punch. Part of Liang Fei felt nothing but horror at his lack of guidance. "Otherwise, those who care for  _you_  will be sad."

This struck Xieren as odd, since he wasn't expecting to hear those words. Yes, he knew Shizun cared for his students even the bad ones but to hear him say it out loud was entirely different.

"Does Shizun... care for me?" He asked, his tone hopeful, though he wasn't sure what he was hoping for. Liang Fei, dense as he was, answered honestly.

"Of course, Xieren is one of my precious students." He answered, his tone soft since he truly did adore his students. "I hate seeing you guys get hurt."

"Student..." He mumbled, feeling strangely frustrated by the word. Why? Was it because he was just one of many seen as this man's students? Did he hope to be special?

"Now how do you plan on handling this?" He asked, missing the disappointment on the teens face. Especially since his face was now just full of question marks. The older man sighed. "That person you fought, I doubt it'll end here." He stated. He recalled the many many fights he'd been dragged into, so he knew that this was not the end. Xieren managed to get away without a hit, which meant the other guy was probably searching for a chance to change that. "Will you hide from them?"

"Never!" He recalled the frustration he felt at having to run and hide like before. He hated that feeling.

"Then just challenge them formally." Liang Fei simply suggested, not thinking much of it. Young men were like this so it was better to let them get it out of their system now rather than later.

"But..." Xieren started, a bit unsure. He'd managed to catch him off guard before but in a formal dual, he could definitely lose. He tried to explain this. "That person is much stronger than me. Perhaps not by much but I'm not sure I can-"

"Xieren." Liang Fei interrupted, looking Xieren straight in the eye with a steady look. "This person you were defending, are they important to you?"

Important? This person was you, Shizun so of course. The kind man who held him close when he was feverish and lost. The one who gently stroked his head when he was sad. The one who cooked soup every morning for all his students and diligently worked to make them strong.

Even if he disliked having to share Shizun with others, his kindness is what Xieren liked most about him.

"Y-yes!" He shouted, his face red but determined as he stared up at the older man.

Liang Fei couldn't help but grow curious. Who in the world was this person to get this child so worked up? Perhaps Xinyi? Or maybe someone new? Whomever they were, he was happy they were in this child's life.

"They must be if you are willing to risk my ire." He huffed, acting the part of the stern master. "But if that is so, don't worry about losing. You just have to not lose." He said simply.

"... **Just** not lose?" Xieren echoed, sure that he had just misheard.

"Right, it's as simple as that." He stated, confident that he was helping. "When I am lacking confidence, I just tell myself that and I feel like a winner and it helps." He explained, looking pleased with himself.

Xieren felt less so since he recalled Shizun's last attempt at a pep talk. It was... words couldn't describe how bad anyone would feel after hearing it. Yet that kind of talk encouraged him? Perhaps Shizun was just a strange person.

"I'm not sure that would work, Shi-"

"Besides, I know for a fact that you won't lose." He said, not a trace of doubt in his tone. It wasn't confidence but steady, as if stating a fact.

"You know?"

"You're stronger than you think, you just tend to hold back most times." He explained, relaxing against the tree. "I know you could be the strongest if you push yourself. You are, after all, one of my finalists to be sent to the Sunjin conference, so I know you are capable."

Liang Fei truly did believe in Xieren. While he was rash and unrefined, he was strong. He couldn't be sure how well he'd fare against those of other clans but he was confident that if anyone could be the top disciple in the sect, it'd be Xieren.

Still, he had to be fair and honest, so he spoke his mind.

"If you are truly so worried, just consider this." He said, wanting to cheer the young man up since he was so down. "When you beat this guy and the other finalists, you'll be allowed to travel with me on my mission and we can spar as much as you'd like."

He figured this child would love this, since he seemed to want nothing more than to beat Liang Fei. It was tiring but worth it if this child would stop acting so gloomy.

Liang Fei continued on with his pep talk, unaware of his use of the word 'when' as opposed to the 'if' he'd intended on saying. Xieren however, was fully aware and felt his heart tremble at the man's unconscious faith in him.

_Shizun really is a great person._


End file.
